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THE FORBIDDEN BOOK. 

God's holy word was prized when 'twas unsafe to read it 



BIBLE READINGS 



THE HOME CIRCLE 



COMPRISING 



ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTY-TWO READINGS FOR PUBLIC AND PRIVATE 
STUDY, IN WHICH ARE ANSWERED OVER TWENTY-EIGHT HUN- 
DRED QUESTIONS ON RELIGIOUS TOPICS, CONTRIBUTED 
BY MORE THAN A SCORE OF BIBLE STUD^;*ftS. 



To Which is Added 

THE* GAME OF LIFE 

A Pictorial Allegory. 




REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING HOUSE, 
Battle Creek, Mich.; Chicago, III. 






C.OP'<R\GHTtO ^a8a, BX Rt^J\t^ KHQ Hl^kLO. 



kV\. W'oAAS RtSLRMi'S. 



REVIEW AND HSRALO, 
ENGRAVERS, PRINTERS, ELECTRO T Y PER 3, BINDERS. 




F, as all Christians believe, the Bible is the word of God, 
consisting of that ''all Scripture" which the apostle says ''is 
profitable for doctrine" and "for instruction in righteous- 
ness" (2 Tim. 3 : i6j, it is of the first importance that its 
"J^ teaching, pure and unadulterated, should be understood by the 
people. 

The publishers of this work are not alone in the conviction 
that in too large a proportion of the public teaching in reference 
to the Scriptures, there is too much speculation and philosophy, and 
too little Scripture ; too much of man's reasoning, and too little of 
the direct testimony of the word of God. A text may be made the 
basis of an eloquent and brilliant essay, which, while it may please the 
intellect, may leave the mind, after all, without an answer to the im- 
portant question, "What saith the Scripture?" 

It has been the plan of this work to let the sacred volume stand as 
its own witness, massing its testimony on the various subjects pre- 
sented. We conceive this to be the only safe and sure path to an 
understanding of the word of God — to let scripture explain scripture, 
thus harmonizing all its testimony. The rule, therefore, has been 
adopted, to quote a text giving an answer m Bible language to the 
various questions which would naturally arise concerning the theme 
under consideration, that portion of the text which directly answers 
the question, being set in italic. The answers are given largely with- 
out note or comment, with a feeling that where the Lord speaks, 
man's words should be few — it is his part reverently and devoutly to 
listen and obey. In the same way questions of a historical nature are 
answered by direct quotations from history. Great care has been ex- 
ercised to quote all authors ve7'batim, giving the name of the work, and 
the page where the quotation may be found, as far as possible. All 
quotations from Gibbon's " Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire," 
are made from Milman's edition of 1854. Extracts from "Thoughts 
on Daniel and the Revelation " are taken from the edition of 1888. 

Especially with reference to Scripture quotations, it is hoped that 
few will be content with merely reading the texts in this book. The 

[i] 



?HLV^o^. 



Bible itself should be opened, and the context carefully studied. On 
all the great themes which pertain to man's best moral and spiritual 
interests here, and his endless destiny hereafter, together with God's 
plans and purposes in reference to this world, and the manner, means, 
and time of their accomplishment, the Bible is not only our only 
source of information, but it is a full and sufficient guide. These in- 
teresting fields of thought the reader will find amply covered in the 
following pages. Many subjects not often alluded to by press or pul- 
pit are here presented, which we are sure will excite in the mind of 
the reader a new and unwonted interest in the study of the word of 
God. 

These readings have been contributed by a large number of Bible 
workers, whose actual experience in giving Bible readings has indi- 
cated to them the most effective methods of presenting the subjects 
brought out. Prominent among these contributors is J. O. Corliss, 
who, assisted by others, carefully edited and revised the entire collec- 
tion, which afterward passed under the examination of a committee 
appointed for the purpose. The variety of talent thus engaged in the 
preparation of this volume, will therefore, we trust, better adapt it to 
the different minds which may become interested in its study. 

The excellence of both the original and the selected illustrations, 
and the superior mechanical execution of the book throughout, will 
add much to its value in the minds of those who appreciate that which 
is artistic as well as practical. 

To every lover of the word of God this volume is commended, 
with the belief that such will find abundant satisfaction in the study 
of its pages. And to those who feel little or no interest in the study 
of the Bible from the difficulties which they fancy lie in the way of an 
understanding of its record, we commend a study of these readings, 
assured that they will thereby find many doubts removed, many diffi- 
culties solved, and a pleasant and profitable interest excited in the 
study of the Bible, to which they have heretofore been strjingers. 

Publishers. 



Absent from the Body .... . . 163 

A Good Conscience 487 

A Great Prophetic Period 92 

A Happy Home, and How to Make It . . . 567 

Answers to Prayer 482 

A Remarkable Symbol ....... 29 

Attributes of God 468 

Backsliding . . . . . . . . , . 4^8 

Baptism 265 

Bible Sanctification ........ 334 

Ceremonial Sabbaths .126 

Cheerfulness . . . . . . . . . cjq 

Christ the Way of Life . 13^ 

Comfort in Affliction ....... 445 

Confession 430 

Consecration 120 

Conversion . 262 

Danger of Covetousness ..... . . 339 

Debts . 503 

Departing and Being with Christ 162 

Diligence ^^4 

Duties of Parents and Children ..... 347 

Eight Prominent Lines of Prophecy ..... 429 

Elijah the Prophet ........ 365 

Envy and Jealousy . . . . . . . . -523 

Eternal Life . . . . . . . . . -71 

Everlasting Punishmeni' ....... 141 

Evidences of Acceptance with God 439 

Exaltation 538 

False Shepherds . . , . , . . . 577 

Eate of the Transgressor 138 

[I] 



COH^LUIS. 



Forgiving One Another ....... 495 

Four Great Monarchies 25 

Free-Will Offerings 436 

God's Memorial 276 

God's Willingness to Forgive 465 

Good Health .......... 298 

Gossiping . . . . . . . . . . 456 

Healing 478 

Home of the Saved 172 

Hope 546 

Hospitality 550 

Hypocrisy . . . 517 

Importance of Obedience ....... 278 

Importance of Prayer . . 324 

Importance of Sound Doctrine 188 

Increase of Knowledge 223 

Institution of the Sabbath 48 

Justification by Faith .343 

Law and Gospel . . . . . . . , . 272 

Length of the Day of the Lord 451 

Living Souls 158 

Lost Time . . . . . . . . . .318 

Magnified by Christ ........ 197 

Manner of Christ's Coming 71 

Manner of Observing the Sabbath ..... 490 

Meditation and Prayer ....... 476 

Missionary Work ........ 353 

Modern Forms of Intemperance . . . . . .301 

Moral Obligation in the Patriarchal Age . . . 269 

National Distinction 453 

Nature of God's Law no 

New Testament Sabbath . . . . . . . 57 

Not Justified by the Law . . . . . . 196 

Order of Events Connected with the Millennium . . 219 

Origin, History, and Destiny of S.\tan . . . . 210 

Our Lord's Great Prophecy . ' . . , . . . 35 

Our Words ........... 50& 



COU^LU^S. 



548 
199 

575 
442 
382 

• 515 
493 

• 449 
580 

532 

17 

. 471 
432 

113 

282 
361 

473 
. \ . .500 

Sabbath Reform 129 

Salvation . ' . . . . . . . . . .529. 



Patience 

Penalty for Transgression . 
Perfection of Character . 
Praise and Thanksgiving 
Present Truth . . . , 
Presumption .... 

Pride ...... 

Promises for the Children . 
Promises to the Overcomer 
Prophecies Relating to Christ 
Prophetic History of the World 

Reconciled to God 
Regeneration .... 
Repentance . . . . . 
Results of Disobedience 
Return of the Jews 
Reverence for the House of God 
Riches 



Saving Faith 

Searching the Scriptures 
Selfishness . 
Signs of the Times 
Sin .... 



329 
II 

520 

65 
526 



Sobriety . . . .512 

Social Purity ......... 

Spiritual Gifts ........ 

Spiritualism .... 

Submission 

Sufferings of Christ . . . . •. 

Sunday Sacredness . . . . . ' . 

Support of the Ministry ....... 



Temperance ...... 

The Atonement in the New Testament 
The Atonement in the Old Testament 
The Change of the Sabbath 
The Christian Armor . . . " . 
The Christian Sabbath, or Lord's Day 



368 

288 

215 
541 
149 

52 
292 

295 
88 
81 
60 

337 
123 



cou^^u-^s. 



The Day which the Lord Hath Made 
The Divinity of Christ 
The Eastern Question .... 
The End of the Law .... 
The First Angel's Message . . 
The First Symbol of Revelation 13 
The Gentile Sabbath .... 
The Gospel in the Old Testament . 
The Grace of Humility 
The Grace of Meekness 
The Intermediate State 

The Judgment 

The Just Recompense .... 

The Kingdoms of Grace and Glory 

The Last Nation Noticed in Prophecy 

The Lord's Supper 

The Love of God .... 

The " Mark " of Apostasy . 

The Marriage Institution 

The Millennium .... 

The Ministration of Good Angels 

The National Reform Movement 

The New Birth .... 

The New Jerusalem 

The Ordinance of Humility 

The Perpetuity of the Law 

The Poor, and Our Duty toward Them 

The Resurrection 

The Rich Man and Lazarus 

The Sabbath in History 

The Second Angel's Message 

The Seven Churches . 

The Seven Last Plagues 

The Seven Seals 

The Seventh Part of Time 

The Seven Trumpets . 

The "Sign" of Loyalty . 

The Spirits in Prison 

The Sure Word of Prophecy 

The Thief on the Cross . 



COH^LU"\S. 



The Third Angel's Message 107 

The True Israel of God 357 

The Two Covenants . .312 

The Two Families 569 

The Two Laws 185 

The Way of Life 585 

The World's Curse .......: 305 

Trusting in Jesus 505 

Unbelief . . . . .461 

Union of Church and State ...... 235 

Unity of Believers ........ 497 

Vows ........ . . . 484 

Walking in the Light ........ 372 

What Is Man? ......... 154 

What Was Abolished by Christ? ..... 193 

Wisdom 389 

Work of the Holy Spirit ....... 285 





The Forbidden Book .... 
Nebuchadnezzar's Dream .... 
The Four Great Monarchies 
The " Desolation " of Jerusalem 

The Dark Day 

Paul's Journey 

The Great Meteoric Shower 

Ascension of Christ 

The Day of Atonement .... 
Transferring Sins to the Scape-Goai- 
The Scape-Goat in the Wilderness 
Christ Instructing Nicodemus . 

The Crucifixion 

Burning of Sodom and Gomorrah 

Christ's Agony in the Garden 

The Morning of the Resurrection . 

The Deluge 

Lazarus at the Rich Man's Gate 
Ministering Angels .... 

The Temptation of Christ 
Signing the Declaration of Independence 
The Babe of Bethlehem .... 
Christ before Pilate .... 
The Departure from Eden 
The Disobedient Prophet 
The Two Robbers ..... 

Daniel's Faithfulness . . . 
Stilling the Tempest .... 

Judas Selling Christ .... 
Naomi and Her Daughters 
The Ordinance of Humility . 
John the Baptist Preaching 
Christ and the Doctors 
[6] 



PAGE. 

■ontispiece 
i8 

26 

40 

54 
66 

72 
80 
84 

116 

• 134 
142 

. 150 
160 
116 
170 
206 
212 
228 
256 
260 
268 
282 
308 
326 
332 
340 
346 

• 376 
384 

. 2>^^ 



\LV_V^S"\RN^\OHS. 



The Seige of Jerusalem ....... 398 

The Lisbon Earthquake . . . . . . . 410 

Christ Blessing Little Children 448 

The Spies in Canaan 462 

The Prodigal Son . " 466 

Repentance of the Ninevites .... . . 470 

Healing the Lame Man ....... 480 

A Change of Conscience ....... 488 

The Debt Forgiven 494 

Daniel's Trust . . . 506 

The Confusion of Tongues . . . . . . 514 

The Pharisee and the Publican . . . . . .518 

Cain's Envy 524 

Christ's Entry into Jerusalem 534 

The Fiery Furnace ........ 542 

Elijah and the Widow . . . . . . . . 552 

The Formation of Eve . . . . . . . 557 

The Departure of Hagar 560 

"Home, Sweet Home" . 566 

The Mocking of Jesus 574 

The Angel Choir ......... 582 

The Game in Progress ........ 588 

.... 590 

592 



The Game Lost 
The Game Won 



>MAil/H 





Comparative Cost of Liquor and Tobacco in the United 
States (in colors) ........ 

Eight Prominent Lines of Prophecy 
Religions of the World (in colors) 
Social Purity Pledges (in colors) 
The Kingdoms of Grace and Glory 
The Law of God 
The Millennium .... 

The Seven Churches . 

The Seven Seals .... 

The Seven Trumpets . 

The Two Covenants 

The Two Laws Contrasted 

The 2300 Days .... 



PAGE. 

305 
428 

45 
371 
178 

62 
218 
412 
406 
418 

314 
184 

94 



Index of Authors 

Index of Authors of Hymns 



585 
596 



[8] 



HOW READEST THOU? 



It is one thing to read the Bible through, 

Another thing to read to learn and do. 

Some read it with design to learn to read, 

But to the subject pay but little heed. 

Some read it as their duty once a week. 

But no instruction from the Bible seek ; 

While others read it with but little care, 

With no regard to how they read, nor where. 

Some read it as a history, to know 

How people lived three thousand years ago. 

Some read to bring themselves into repute, 

By showing others how they can dispute ; 

While others read because their neighbors do, 

To see how long 'twill take to read it through. 

Some read it for the wonders that are there, — 

How David killed a lion and a bear ; 

While others read it with uncommon care, 

Hoping to find some contradictions there I 

Some read as though it did not speak to them. 

But to the people at Jerusalem. 

One reads it as a book of mysteries. 

And won't believe the very thing he sees. 

One reads with father's specs upon his head, 

And sees the thing just as his father said. 

Some read to prove a pre-adopted creed, — 

Hence understand but little that they read ; 

For every passage in the book they bend. 

To make it suit that all-important end ! 

Some people read, as I have often thought, 

To teach the book instead of being taught. 

And some there are who read it out of spite — 

I fear there are but few who read it right. 

So many people in these latter days. 

Have read the Bible in so many ways 

That few can tell which system is the best. 

For every party contradicts the rest ! 

But read it prayerfully, and you will see. 

Although men contradict, God's words agree. 

For what the early Bible prophets wrote, 

We find that Christ and his apostles quote : 

So trust no creed that trembles to recall 

What has been penned by one and verified by all. 



[lo] 




Word of the everlasting God; 

Will of his glorious Son, — 
Without thee how could earth be trod, 

Or heaven itself be won ? 

Lord, grant us all aright to learn 

The wisdom it imparts, 
4nd to its heavenly teaching turn 

With simple, childlike hearts. 




geai^ebing the gci^iptui^es. 

HAT did Christ command the people of his day concerning 
the Scriptures ? 

" Search the Scriptures ; for in them ye think ye have eternal life ; and 
they are they which testify of me." John 5 : 39. 

x^ Note. — When this was spoken, not a word of the New Testament had 
been written. It was to the Old Testament that the Jews looked as their 
guide to eternal life ; and although they would not accept Christ, he said 
that these very books which they esteemed so highly, testified of him. If 
the Old Testament points to Christ, it is worthy of our careful study. 

2. How early have we any record that the gospel was preached ? 

"And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, 
preached before the gospel unto Abraham.'''' Gal. 3 : 8. 

3. Was it the gospel of Christ that was preached imto Abraham ? 

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see viy day : and he saw it, and was glad." 
John 8 : 56. 

4. At what other time is it said the gospel was taught in the Old 

Testament dispensation ? 

" For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them; but the word preached 
did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it." Heb. 
4:2. The persons here referred to by "them" are the Israelites when on 
their journey from Egypt to the promised land, as will be seen by the Script- 
ure connection. Paul says the gospel was preached unto us as well as unto 
them, putting "them" ahead, and letting "us" have the gospel afterward. 



12 B\^\.^ RLf\\)\UGS. 



5. Why did Moses give up the riches of Egypt ? 

'■'■ Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt." 
Heb. II : 26. People in that age, even as now, were influenced by the riches 
of Christ to give up the world. 

6. Whence came the spiritual meat and drink of the Israelites while 

in the wilderness ? 

"And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea ; and did all eat 
the same spiritual meat ; and did all drink the same spiritual drink ; for they 
drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them : and that Rock 7c>as Christ.'''' 
I Cor. 10 : 2-4. 

7. What was the chief corner-stone of the faith of both apostles and 

prophets ? 

"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ 
hi7?iself being the chief corner-stone.'''' Eph. 2:20. 

8. What part of the Scriptures did Philip hear a certain eunuch read- 

ing ? 

"And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and 
said, Understandest thou what thou readest ? " Acts 8 : 30. 

9. When asked if he understood what he was reading, what reply did 

the eunuch make ? 

"And he said, How can /, except some t?ian should guide me? And he desired 
Philip that he would come up and sit with him." Verse 31. 

10. What did Philip then do? 

"Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached 
unto him Jesus.''' Verse 35. 

Note. — Notwithstanding the clearness with which w^ see Christ referred to in 
the Scriptures of the Old Testament, the Jews would not admit his claims 
to the Messiahship. It is a truthful remark, that "the New Testament was 
hid in the Old, and the Old Testament is revealed in the New." By search- 
ing both Testaments together, we may become enlightened regarding the plan 
of salvation ; for without the Old Testament, the claims of Christ to the Mes- 
siahship cannot be substantiated. The New Testament merely gives his 
history and teachings, showing him to be a pure and holy character ; but if the 
Old Testament had not before predicted what the Messiah would be and do, 
there would have been no standard by which to decide whether or not the 
personage who then appeared was he. How necessary, then, that we love 
and study all the Bible ! If we do not, we, like the Jews, may lose sight of 
some of the most important points contained in the New Testament itself. 

11. What are the Scriptures able to do ? 

"Thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto 
salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." 2 Tim. 3 : 15. 



12. What was said of the Bereans because they searched the Script- 

ures daily? 

" These were more noble than those m Thessalonica, in that they received the 
word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether 
those things were so." Acts 17: 1 1. 

13. By what is man to live ? 

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the 
mouth of God.'''' Matt. 4:4. If man is to live by the word of God, he cer- 
tainly ought to use it daily, as daily nourishment is needed to keep him alive. 

14. How greatly has God magnified his word ? 

" I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving- 
kindness and for thy truth ; for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy 
name.'''' Ps. 138:2. We ought, then, to treat the word of God with the 
profoundest reverence, and search its pages daily, that we may continually 
learn more of God. 



tTUDY it carefully. 
Think of it prayerfully, 
Deep in thy heart let its pure precepts dwell. 
Slight not its history, 
Ponder its mystery. 
None can e'er prize it too fondly or well. 

Accept the glad tidings. 

The warnings and chidings, 
Found in this volume of heavenly lore ; 

With faith that's unfailing 

And love all-prevailing, 
Trust in its promise of life evermore. 

With fervent devotion 

And thankful emotion, 
Hear the blest welcome, respond to its call ; 

Life's purest oblation. 

The heart's adoration, 
Give to the Saviour, who died for us all. 

May this message of love 

From the Tribune above. 
To all nations and kindreds be given. 

Till the ransomed shall raise 

Joyous anthems of praise — 
Hallelujah ! on earth and in heaven. 





T"be Sure \Y)ord of propbeex/*. 

Y what means is all Scripture given ? 

"All Scripture is given by inspif-ation of God, and is profitable for doc- 
trine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." 
2 Tim. 3:16. 

For what purpose ? 

"That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly J'tirtiislied ttnlo all good 
works.'''' Verse 17. 

3. To whom do the things revealed belong? 

"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God ; but those things which are 
revealed belong tinto us and to our children forever.'''' Deut. 29 : 29. That 
is, they belong to the human family. 

4. What is the last book of the Bible called ? 

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him." Rev. I : I. 

5. What is said of those who read or study this book? 

''Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, 
and keep those things which are written therein." Verse 3. The book of 
Revelation, then, is not only designed to be understood, but a blessing is 
pronounced upon those who read or study it. No one would expect to obtain 
a blessing by reading a book he could not understand ; hence the implication 
is that he who studies this book may understand it. 

6. How were the Old Testament prophecies given ? 

" For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man ; but holy meit of God 
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.''' 2 Peter i : 21. 

[14] 



^V\^ SViRL YJOH\) OV PROPVALCX. 15 



7. What is said of the interpretation of these prophecies ? 

"Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpreta- 
tion [impulse]." Verse 20. The Peshito Syriac version renders this verse : 
"No prophecy is an exposition of its own text." The idea conveyed is that 
the text in which the prophecy is found, does not explain itself ; but that one 
must go to some other statement of the Holy Spirit for an explanation. No 
one, unaided (relying on his own private judgment), is competent to give an 
exposition of a prophecy. Its meaning should be sought elsewhere in the 
word of God, " comparing spiritual things with spiritual." i Cor. 2 : 13. 

8. In giving their prophetic utterances, what did the prophets seek ? 
" Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls ; of ivhich sal- 
vation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of 
the grace that should come unto you." i Peter 1:9, 10. 

9. By whose spirit were they actuated ? 

" Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them 
did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory 
that should follow." Verse 11. Then all the prophecies of the Old Testa- 
ment, as well as those of the New, were dictated by the Spirit of Christ, 
and are therefore designed to be studied by Christians. 

10. How did Peter confirm his former preaching on the coming of 

Christ? 

" For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto 
you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of 
his majesty.^'' 2 Peter i : 16. 

11. When did the apostle see the majesty (kingship) of Christ, and 

hear the approbative words of God ? 

" And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in 
the holy moimty Verse 18. 

12. What other and more certain evidence did he have of the power 

and coming of Christ? 

" We have also a more sure zvord of prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take 
heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the 
day star arise in your hearts." Verse 19. The Revised Version renders this 
verse, "We have the word of prophecy ?nade more sure,'''' as if it were possi- 
ble for it to be less certain at one time than at another. But Dean Alford,, in 
his " New Testament for English Readers," says that such an interpretation 
is not admissible, on the ground that the apostle omits all such connecting 
particles as wherefore, now, or henceforth, which would be necessary to 
carry out that idea. The verses which follow show that the rendering in the 
authorized version is the correct one. 

13. At the time when Jerusalem was to be destroyed, to what prophecy 

did Christ point his disciples as a guide to their actions ? 
"When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel 
the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him ■understand).'''' 
Matt. 24 ; 15. 



14. When were all the prophecies in the book of Daniel to be under- 
stood ? 

" But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the iime of 
the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 
12:4. 
Note. — Certain it is that the study of prophecy should by no means be neg- 
lected. This part of the word belongs to that which is said to beli lamp unto 
our feet and a light unto our path. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. 
God gives his people, through the prophetic word, an opportunity to learn 
what is coming on the earth, that they may know how to act when the predic- 
tions shall come to pass. In view of this, whoever is overtaken unawares by 
any calamity which the prophecies have pointed out, will be held guilty by 
Him who so kindly reveals these things for our benefit. 



-^^-^ 



THOU whom we adore ! 

To bless our earth again. 
Assume thine own almighty powder, 

And o'er the nations reign. 

The world's desire and hope. 
All power to thee is given ; 

Now set the last great empire up. 
Eternal Lord of heaven ! 

A gracious Saviour, thou 
Wilt all thy children bless ; 

And every knee to thee shall bow, 
And every tongue confess 

According to thy w^ord 

Now be thy grace revealed, 

And wath the knowledge of the Lord 
Let all the earth be filled. 





"Westward the course of empire takes its way, 
The first four acts already past, 
A fifth shall close the drama with the day; 
Time's noblest offspring is the last." 



Pi^opbetie gistoi^i/' of the \\)oi^ld. 

y^lfbMONG the captives taken at Jerusalem and carried to Babylon, 
M^ who were the most prominent ? 

Now among these were of the children of Judah, Daniel, Hananiah, 
Mishael, and Azariah." Dan. I : 6. 

2. Who was Nebuchadnezzar? 

"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, came NebucJiadnezzar, 
king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem, and besieged it." Verse i. 

3. What caused sleep to depart from Nebuchadnezzar? 

"And in the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar 
dreamed dreams, wherewith his spirit was troubled, and his sleep brake from 
him." Dan, 2:1. 

4. When he applied to his magicians for an interpretation of his 

dream, what did they say ? 
"The Chaldeans answered before the king, and said, There is not a man upon the 
earth that can show the king's matter. . . . And it is a rare thing that the 
king requireth, and there is none other that can show it before the king, except 
the gods, whose dzvelling is not with flesh.'" Verses lo, li. 

5. In his anger, what decree did the king make ? 

" For this cause the king was angry and very furious, and commatided to destroy all 
the wise men of Babylon.''^ Verse 12. 

6. To avoid suffering the consequences of the decree, what did 

Daniel do ? 
"Then Daniel went in, and desired of the king that he would give him time, and 
that he would show the king the interpretation." Verse 16. 

7. After he and his three companions had prayed to God about the 

matter, how was the interpretation made known ? 
"Then was the secret revealed unto Daniel in a night vision.'" Verse 19. 
2 - [17] 



8. Afterward, when Daniel was brought in before the king, what 

question was asked him ? 

" Ai't thou able to j/iake known unto me the dreafu which I have seen, and the inter- 
pretation thereof?" Verse 26. 

9. What humble and impressive answer did Daniel return ? 

" The7'e is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets, and maketh known to the king 
Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days." Verse 28. 

10. What had the king seen in his dream ? 

"Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose 
brightness was excellent, stood before thee ; and the form thereof was terri- 
ble.'" Verse 31. 

11. Of what were the different parts of the image composed ? 

"This image's head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly 
and his thighs of brass, his legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of 
clay." Verses 32, 33. 

12. What did the king see happen to the image? 

"Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image 
upon his feet, that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces." 
Verse 34. 

13. What then took place ? 

"Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold, broken to pieces 
together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors ; and the 
wind carried them away, that no place was found for them ; and the stone 
that smote the image became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth." 
Verse 35. 

14. Having told the dream, how did Daniel proceed to explain the 

head of gold ? 

"Thou, O king, art a king of kings; for the God of heaven hath given thee a 
kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. And wheresoever the children of 
men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given 
into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thoti art this head 
of gold.''' Verses 37, 38. 
Notes. — When the Babylonian kingdom first became connected with the Jews, 
who were then the people of God, it entered the field of prophecy. When 
did this occur ? Manasseh was captured and taken to Babylon, B. c. 677, 
(2 Chron. 33 : ii), and the text says that this capture was effected by the cap- 
tains of the king of Assyria. Putting these two facts together, it has been 
considered by some that Assyria and Babylon should be treated as virtually 
the same kingdom ; hence the date 677 was thought to be correct. But it 
seems that the interests of the two kingdoms were ever widely separated. 
In fact, we are told that the kings of the two empires were bitter enemies 
for more than 400 years. See Rawlinson's "Seven Great Monarchies," vol. 
I, pp. 392, 393. The capital of Assyria was Nineveh, and not Babylon (Isa. 



20 B\BLL RLK\)\UGxS. 



37:37)5 although after the subjugation of Babylon by Assyria, Sennacherib 
built for himself a palace at Babylon, where officers might dwell, and prevent 
any revolt of the Babylonians. It was probably because of this contingent 
of the government at Babylon, that Esar-haddon, the son of Sennacherib 
(Isa. 37 : 38), took Manasseh to Babylon instead of to Nineveh. In 609 B. C, 
Nabopolassar successfully revolted, threw off the yoke of Assyria, and Bab- 
ylon in turn held the supremacy. Nabopolassar sent his son Nebuchadnezzar, 
in B. c. 606, on an expedition against Egypt, when he overran Palestine, 
and captured Jehoiakim, king of Judah (Rawlinson's "Ancient Egypt," vol. 
2, pp. 254-256), the result of which was the carrying away of many captives 
to Babylon. 2 Kings 24:1, 13, 14. We conclude, therefore, that at this 
point (b. C. 606) Babylon properly comes into the field of prophecy. 

"The character of this empire is indicated by the nature of the material 
composing that portion of the image by which it was symbolized — the head 
of gold. It was the golden kingdom of a golden age. Babylon, its metrop- 
olis, towered to a hight never reached by any of its later rivals. Situated in 
the garden of the East ; laid out in a perfect square sixty miles [96.5-]- kil- 
ometers] in circumference, fifteen miles [24.125 kilometers] on each side; 
surrounded by a wall three hundred and fifty feet [106.68 meters] high and 
eighty-seven feet [26.51-]- meters] thick, with a moat, or ditch, around this, 
of equal cubic capacity with the wall itself ; divided into six hundred and 
seventy-six squares, each two and a quarter miles [3.6-{- kilometers] in cir- 
cumference, by its fifty streets, each one hundred and fifty feet [15.24 meters] 
in width, crossing each other at right angles, twenty-five running each way, 
every one of them straight and level and fifteen miles [24.125 kilometers] 
in length ; its two hundred and twenty-five square miles [362. i-[- kilometers] 
of inclosed surface, divided as just described, laid out in luxuriant pleasure- 
grounds and gardens, interspersed with magnificent dwellings, — .... this 
city, containing in itself many things which were themselves wonders of the 
world, was itself another and still mightier wonder. Never before saw the 
earth a city like that ; never since has it seen its equal. And there, with the 
whole earth prostrate at her feet, a queen in peerless grandeur, drawing from 
the pen of Inspiration itself this glowing title, ' The glory of kingdoms, the 
beauty of the Chaldees' excellency,' sat this city, fit capital of that kingdom 
which constituted the golden head of this great historic image. Such was 
Babylon, with Nebuchadnezzar, youthful, bold, vigorous, and accomplished, 
seated upon its throne." — Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation^ pp. 4^, 46. 

15. Wliat was to be tlie nature of the next Icingdom after Babylon ? 

" After thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee." Dan. 2 : 39, first part. 

16. Wlio was tlie last Babylonian king? 

"In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slaift. And Darius the 
Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old." Dan. 
5 : 30, 31 ; see verses i, 2. 

17. To whom was Belshazzar's kingdom given ? 

"Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians.'''' Verse 28. 
Note. — "Cyaxares, king of the Medes, who is called Darius in Dan. 5 :3i, 
summoned to his aid his nephew Cyrus, of the Persian line, in his efforts 
against the Babylonians. The war was prosecuted with uninterrupted success 



?RO?WL^\C V\\S^O\^X OV AWL ^0'v^V.\). 21 

on the part of the Medes and Persians, until, in the eighteenth year of Na- 
bonadius, the father of Belshazzar, Cyrus laid siege to Babylon, the only city 
in all the East which then held out against him. The Babylonians, gathered 
within their impregnable walls, with provisions on hand for twenty years, and 
land within the limits of their broad city sufficient to furnish food for the in- 
habitants and garrison for an indefinite period, scoffed at Cyrus from their 
lofty walls, and derided his seemingly useless efforts to bring them into sub- 
jection. ... In their very feelings of security lay the source of their danger. 
Cyrus resolved to accomplish by stratagem what he could not effect by force ; 
and learning of the approach of an annual festival, in which the whole city 
would be given up to mirth and revelry, he fixed upon that day as the time to 
carry his purpose into execution. There was no entrance for him into that 
city except where the river Euphrates entered and emerged, passing under its 
walls. He resolved to make the channel of the river his own highway into 
the stronghold of his enemy. To do this, the water must be turned aside 
from its channel through the city. . . . On the evening of the feast-day 
above referred to, he detailed three bodies of soldiers, the first, to turn the 
river at a given hour into a large artificial lake a short distance above the city; 
the second, to take their station at the point where the river entered the city; 
the third, to take a position fifteen miles below, where the river emerged from 
the city ; and these two latter parties were instructed to enter the channel, 
just as soon as they found the river fordable, and in the darkness of the night 
explore their way beneath the walls, and press on to the palace of the king, 
where they were to meet, surprise the palace, slay the guards, and capture or 
slay the king. ... In the drunken revelry of that fatal night, the river gates 
'* were all left open, and the entrance of the Persian soldiers was not perceived. 

. . . [They] first made known their presence in the city by falling upon the 
royal guards in the very vestibule of the palace of the king. Belshazzar soon 
became aware of the cause of the disturbance, and died vainly fighting for his 
worthless life. This feast of Belshazzar is described in the fifth chapter of 
Daniel ; and the scene closes with the simple record, ' In that night was Bel- 
shazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the 
kingdom [B. C. 538], being about threescore and two years old.' " — Thoughts 
on Daniel and the Revelation, pp. 48-^0. Nabonadius, who shared the king- 
dom with his son Belshazzar, was away from Babylon at the time of its capt- 
ure by Cyrus, hence the Scriptures refer only to Belshazzar as king. 

18. By what symbol is the Medo-Persian empire elsewhere rep- 

resented? 

"The ra7n which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia." 
Dan. 8 : 20. This ram was first introduced in verses 2-4. 

19. What beast was seen to come against him ? 

" An /^<f-^c<2/ came from the west on the face of the whole earth. . . . And he came 
to the ram that had two horns, which I had seen standing before the river, and 
ran unto him in the fury of his power." Verses 5, 6. 

20. What was the result of this contest? 

" And I saw him come close unto the ram, and he was moved with choler against 
him, and smote the ram, and brake his two horns. . . . Therefore the he-goat 
waxed very great." Verses 7, 8. 



22 ^\^\_^ W^f\^\UGS. 



21. What did the goat represent? 

" And the rough goat is tJie king of Grecia.'''' Verse 21. Grecia succeeded Medo- 
Persia. 

2 2. By what is Grecia represented in the image ? 

"And another third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth." 
Dan, 2 : 39, latter part. 
Note. — It is not necessary to the fulfillment of the prophecy that any one of 
these empires should have every class of people, and every isolated country 
under its absolute sway. Babylon never conquered Grecia nor Rome. The 
idea of universality in the case of these kingdoms may be understood in this 
way : When one of them came to the front, it became the great and over- 
towering object in the political world, and in this sense was spoken of as hav- 
ing universal power. All nations stood in awe of it, as was the case with the 
tribes in and around Palestine when they heard of the successful passage of 
the Red Sea by the Israelites, and of their great victory over Pharaoh. Thus 
Rahab said to the spies of Israel : "I know that the Lord hath given you the 
land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the 
land faint because of you." Joshua 2 : 9. Such expressions are still com- 
mon. We say of a custom, that it is universal ; but we do not mean by that 
that absolutely every person in the world adopts it : it has simply gained 
prominence enough to command respect everywhere without opposition. In 
this sense it carries a power that is universal. So with these prophetic em- 
pires. None could successfully withstand them ; hence they were said to be 
universal. 

23. What is said of the fourth kingdom ? 

"And the fourth Yva^^ovcv shall be strong as iron; forasmuch as iron breaketh in 
pieces and subdueth all things : and as iron that breaketh all these, shall it 
break in pieces and bruise.^'' Verse 40. If the first three kingdoms were uni- 
versal, and the fourth stronger than all the others, that, too, must have been 
universal. Two tmiversal empires cannot exist simultaneously ; hence if we 
find a fourth universal empire, it must be the one denoted by the legs of iron. 

24. Where is such a power brought to view? 

" And it came to pass. in those days, that there went out a decree from CcBsar Au- 
gustus, that all the world should be taxed.'''' Luke 2 : I. 

Notes. — -The fact that the Roman emperor here mentioned had power to tax 
(enroll for taxation) the whole world, shows that his jurisdiction extended 
thus far. 

" The empire of the Romans filled the world ; and when that empire fell 
into the hands of a single person, the world became a safe and dreary prison 
for his enemies. The slave of imperial despotism, whether he was condemned 
to drag his gilded chain in Rome and the senate, or to wear out a life of exile 
on the barren rock of Seriphus or the frozen banks of the Danube, expected 
his fate in silent despair. To resist w^as fatal, and it was impossible to fly. 
On every side he was encompassed with a vast extent of sea and land, which 
he could never hope to traverse without being discovered, seized, and restored 



to his irritated master. Beyond the frontiers, liis anxious view could discover 
nothing except the ocean, inhospitable deserts, hostile tribes of barbarians of 
fierce manners and unknown language, or dependent kings who would gladly 
I purchase the emperor's protection by the sacrifice of an obnoxious fugitive. 
' Wherever you are,'' said Cicero to the exiled' Marcellus, ^ remejnber that you 
are equally within the power of the conqueror.'' " — Gibbon'' s Decline and Fall 
of the Roman Empire, chap, j, par. jy. 

25. What was indicated by the mixture of clay and iron in the feet 

and toes ? 

"And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potter's clay, and part of 
iron, the kingdom shall be divided.'''' Dan. 2 : 41. 

Note. — The presence of clay with the iron indicates the weakness that came 
into the empire through the growing luxury and effeminacy of its people. 
This made the kingdom an easy prey -to the various tribes of barbarians who 
inhabited those vast regions lying north and east of Western Rome, and who, 
multiplying through many preceding centuries, at length, in the early part of 
the Christian era, hung in countless multitudes, like the dark clouds of an all- 
devastating storm, along its border. By these the vast empire of Rome was 
broken up into ten divisions. The era of this dissolution covered almost a 
hundred and fifty years, from about the middle of the fourth century to near 
the close of the fifth. No historians place the beginning of this work of the 
dismemberment of the Roman empire earlier than A. D. 351, and none assign 
its close to a later date than A. D. 483. Of the intermediate dates, that is, 
the precise time from which each of the ten kingdoms that arose on the ruins 
of the Roman empire is to be dated, there is some difference of views among 
historians. And this is not strange, as we consider that that was an era of 
great confusion, when the map of Rome underwent many metamorphoses, 
when there were revolutions and counter-revolutions, movements and counter- 
movements, changes and counter-changes, and nations were placed and dis- 
placed, sometimes in rapid succession. But all historians agree in this, that 
out of the territory of Western Rome, ten separate kingdoms were ultimately 
established, and we may safely assign them to the time between the extreme 
dates named above — A. D. 351 and 483. 

According to the weight of historical evidence, and the majority of com- 
mentators, the ten kingdoms which arose may be named (witliout respect to 
the time of their establishment) as follows : The Huns, Ostrogoths, Visigoths, 
Franks, Vandals, Suevi, Burgundians, Heruli, Anglo-Saxons, and Lombards. 
The connection between these and some of the modern nations of Europe, is 
still traceable in the names, as England, Burgundy, Lombardy, France, etc. 
See "Newton on the Prophecies," pp. 209, 210, Machiavelli, Gibbon, etc. 

Many political revolutions and territorial changes have occurred in Europe 
since the beginning of the sixth century ; but the divided state of the country 
still continues ; and Mr. Scott, the commentator, affirms that these political 
divisions have ever since been recognized as the ten kingdoms of Western 
Europe. They will continue to the end. 

26. What is to take place in the days of these kings ? 

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which 
shall never be destroyed ; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, 
but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand 
forever." Dan. 2 : 44. 



Notes. — It will be readily seen that this everlasting kingdom to be set up on the 
ruins of the ten kingdoms, could not have been established in the days of 
Christ, as at that time the ten kingdoms were not in existence. We know that 
God's kingdom is still in the future, because the ten kingdoms are yet in ex- 
istence ; and this could not be if God's kingdom here spoken of had been 
set up, for that is to destroy and take the place of the ten. 

" ' In the days of these kings, the God of heaven shall set up a kingdom.' 
This shows that at the time the kingdom of God is set up, there will be a 
plurality of kings existing contemporaneously. It cannot refer to the four 
preceding kingdoms ; for it would be absurd to use such language in refer- 
ence to a line of successive kings, since it would be in the days of the last 
king only, not in the days of any of the preceding, that the kingdom of God 
would be set up." — Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, p. 6j. 

27. Can there be any doubt regarding the fulfillment of this prophecy? 

" The great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter : 
and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.''\ Dan. 2 : 45. 
History corroborates the predictions of this prophecy up to the very last spec- 
ification, and we can readily believe that this, too, will be fulfilled as certainly 
as all the others. How fully the inspiration of the Bible is vindicated, can 
be known only by the study of the prophetic word. 



fOOK for the way-marks as you journey on, 
Look for the way-marks, passing one by one ; 
Down through the ages, past the kingdoms, four, — 
Where are we standing? Look the way-marks o'er. 

First, Babylonia's kingdom ruled the world, 
Then Medo-Persia's banners were unfurled ; 
And after Greece held universal sway, 
Rome seized the scepter — where are we to-day? 

Down in the feet of iron and of clay, 

Weak and divided, soon to pass away ; 

What will the next great, glorious drama be ? — 

Christ and his coming, and eternity. 




i 
I 






f\^L VOVi\^ \\\V\GiS YJVWGU SV\kV.L KRVS'L. 



•iwiMiwiiviwiwiWMaiwiwiHiiwiisiwtiaiMiiciwiwiwiiaiwiwtiotiviienenoiiviisiioiieticiwiiatwiiviwiwtwiisiwiiAiwHciwiMiieii 

PUHJ^^ANIEL'S second vision was given at what time ? 

W^hwjj ""^^ the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and 
(^^^^^ visions of his head upon his bed ; then he wrote the dream, and told 

\ffl^^ the sum of the matters." Dan. 7:1. 

2. What did the prophet first see ? 

"Daniel spake and said, I saw in my vision by night, and, behold, the: four 
7vinds of the heaven strove upon the great seaT'' Verse 2. 

3. What was the result of this strife? 

"And four great beasts came up from the sea, diverse one from another." 
Verse 3. 

4. What did the beasts represent ? 

"These great beasts, which are four, are four kings, which shall arise out of the 
earth." Verse 17. The word kings here denotes kingdoms, as explained in 
verses 23, 24. 

5. In symbolic language, what is represented by winds ? Jer. 25 : 31- 

2>2>-> 49 : 36, 37- 
Note, — "The strife and commotion which produces all this destruction is called 
a great whirlwind. That winds denote strife and war is further evident from 
a consideration of the vision itself ; for as the result of the striving of the- 
winds, kingdoms arise and fall ; and these events are accomplished through 
political strife." — Thoughts on Daniel aitd the Revelation, p. 116. 

6. What is symbolized by the term waters ? 

"And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, . . . are peoples, and 
multitudes, and nations, and tongues." Rev. 17 : 15. 
Note. — In the second chapter of Daniel (see reading on " Prophetic History of 
the World," p. 17) four universal kingdoms are introduced, namely, Babylon, 
Medo-Persia, Grecia, and Rome. These are represented by the head of 
gold, the breast and arms of silver, the belly and thighs of brass, and the legs 
of iron, w^ith feet part of iron and part of clay. As four kingdoms are 
also introduced in the seventh chapter, we may safely conclude that these 
kingdoms, symbolized by a lion, a bear, a leopard, and a great and terrible 
beast with ten horns, are identical with those of the second chapter. The 
reason why the same ground is again covered, is well given in these Avords : 
"The ground is passed over again and again, that additional characteristics 

[25] 



may be brought out, and additional facts and features may be presented. It 
is thus that we have line upon line. Here earthly governments are viewed as 
represented in the light of Heaven. Their true character is shown by the 
symbol of wild and ravenous beasts." — TJwtights on Daniel and the Revela- 
tion, p. J I J. 

7. What was the first beast like ? 

" The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings : I beheld till the wings thereof 
were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the 
feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it." Dan. 7 : 4. 
Notes. — "The first of these beasts (like the golden head in Nebuchadnezzar's 
dream) evidently intends the Babylonian monarchy, and is described as a lion 
with eagles' wings." — Cottage Bible. 

At first the lion had eagles' wings, denoting the rapidity with which 
Babylon extended its conquests under Nebuchadnezzar. When this vision 
of Daniel 7 was given, a change had taken place ; its wings had been 
plucked. It no longer flew like an eagle upon its prey. The boldness and 
spirit of the lion were gone. A man's heart — weak, timorous, and faint — 
had taken its place. Such was emphatically the case with the Babylonian 
empire under Belshazzar. 

S. By what was the second kingdom symbolized ? 
"And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on 
one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it : and 
they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh." Verse 5. 
Notes. — "The kingdom here referred to was undoubtedly the Medo-Persian, 
established by Cyrus." — Barneses Notes on Dan. 2 :jg. 

" This was the Medo-Persian empire, represented here under the symbol of 
the bear. . . . The Medes and Persians are compared to a bear on account 
of their cruelty and thirst after blood, a bear being a most voracious and cruel 
animal. The ^<?<7r is termed hy Av\^\.o\.\q on all-devouring a7iimal ; and the 
Medo-Persians are known to have been great robbers and spoilers. See Jer. 
51 : 48-56." — A. Clarke, on Dan. 7 .-5. 

" As in the great image of chapter 2, so in this series of symbols, a marked 
deterioration will be noticed as we descend from one kingdom to another. 
The breast and arms of silver M^ere inferior to the head of gold. The bear 
was inferior to the lion. Medo-Persia fell short of Babylon in wealth and 
magnificence, and the brilliancy of its career. . . . The three ribs perhaps 
signify the three provinces of Babylon, Lydia, and Egypt, which were espe- 
cially ground down and oppressed by this power." — Thoughts on Daniel and 
the Revelation, pp. iiy, 118. 

:). By what was the third universal empire symbolized ? 

"After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of 
it four wings of a fowl ; the beast had also four heads ; and dominion was 
given to it." Verse 6. 
Notes. — "This bear having disappeared, the prophet saw an extraordinary 
' leopard ' rise up in its stead. This was the emblem of the Grecian, or Mace- 
donian empire, which for the time was the most renowned in the world." — 
Scott, on Dan. j : 6. 



^8 VOV^R GRLM VKOHKRG\^\LS. 

"Two wings, the number the lion had, were not sufficient, it [the leopard] 
must have four ; and this must denote unparalleled celerity of movement, 
which we find to be historically true of the Grecian kingdom. The conquests 
of Grecia under Alexander have no parallel in historic annals for suddenness 
and rapidity." — Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, p. ij8. 

" Alexander, in less than eight years, marched his army upwards of seven- 
teen hundred leagues [or more \\\?av fifty -one hundred 7/tiles'\, without includ- 
ing his return to Babylon." — Rollin^ s Ancient History, b. 75, sec. 2. 

"' The beast had also four heads.' The Grecian empire maintained its 
unity but little longer than the lifetime of Alexander, Within fifteen years 
after his brilliant career ended in a drunken debauch [b. c. 323], the empire 
was divided among his four leading generals. Cassander had Macedon and 
Greece in the west ; Lysimachus had Thrace and the parts of Asia on the 
Hellespont and Bosporus in the north ; Ptolemy received Egypt, Lydia, 
Arabia, Palestine, and Coele-Syria in the south ; and Seleucus had Syria and 
all the rest of Alexander's dominions in the east. These divisions were de- 
noted by the four heads of the leopard." — Thoughts on Daniel and the Rev- 
elation, p. Jig. See also Cottage Bible notes on this prophecy. 

10. How is the fourth kingdom represented? 

"After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a. fourth beast, dreadful and 
terrible, and strong exceedingly ; and it had great iron teeth : it devoured and 
brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it : and it was diverse 
from all the beasts that were before it ; and it had ten horns." Verse 7. 
Notes. — A fourth beast. — " The Roman empire, which destroyed the Grecian, 
and became mistress of the w-orld." — Bagster, m Cottage Bible. 

" The fourth kingdom, symbolized by the fourth beast, is accurately repre- 
sented by the Roman power." — Barnes, on Dan. 7, /. 321. 

"This 'fourth beast' evidently accords with the legs and feet of iron, 
which were seen by Nebuchadnezzar in his visionary image, and which were 
at length divided into ten toes, , . , This was doubtless an emblem of the 
Roman state." — Scott, on Dan. y : 7. 

Daniel asked no questions concerning the first three beasts of this series, 
evidently, because he understood their application from the knowledge gained 
when the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream was made known to him. 
Smith says : " But he was astonished at this fourth beast, so unnatural and 
dreadful ; for the further we come down the stream of time, the further it is 
necessary to depart from nature in forming symbols accurately to represent 
the degenerating governments of this earth." — Thoughts 071 Daniel and the 
Revelation, p. 126. 

"This is allowed on all hands, to be the Roman empire. It was dreadful, 
terrible, ^.n^ exceeding strong; . . . and became in effect, what the Roman 
writers delight to call it, the empire of the whole world.'''' — A. Clarke, on 
Dan. J : 7. 

11, What was denoted by the ten horns? 

"And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise : and 
another shall rise after them ; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he 
shall subdue three kings." Dan. 7 : 24. 
Note. — "The ten horns here answer to the 'ten toes' in Nebuchadnezzar's 
image." — Bagster, in Cottage Bible. 





% Remarl^able gx/rnbol. 

T what time was Rome divided into ten parts ? — Between 
the years 351 and 483 a. d. See reading, ''Prophetic History 
of the World," page 17, notes following question 25. 

After the ten horns had arisen, what was seen coming up 
among them ? 

■I considered the horns, and, behold, there came up among them another Utile 
horn, before whom there were three of the first horns plucked i:p by the 
roots." Dan. 7 : 8. 

Notes. — We must, then, look for the development of the "little horn" this 
side of A. D. 483. About that time, in fact, there w^as a pretentious power, 
seeking acknowledgment of its claims. As early as the beginning of the 
sixth century the bishops of Rome had become powerful enough to exert con- 
siderable of that influence at the imperial court which ere long exalted them 
to a station where they could command the kings of the earth. There was 
only one hinderance to their supremacy, — the opposition of the Arian powers 
to the doctrines of the Catholics, especially to that of the Trinity. These 
opposing powers were rooted up, the Heruli in 493, the Vandals in 534, and 
the Ostrogoths in 538. See "Student's Gibbon," pp. 309-319. 

"It is a remarkable fact, that the popes to this day wear a triple crown, — 
a fact that exists in regard to no other monarchs. . . . The papacy [is] 
well represented by the 'little horn.' ... In fact, this one power absorbed 
into itself three of these sovereignties." — Barnes'' s Notes on Daniel, p. ^2J. 

" The most remarkable was the little horn, which rose after the others, 
and is by Protestant commentators (and we think with good reason) explained 
of the ecclesiastical dominion of the pope or bishop of Rome." — Cottage Bible. 

"In 533, Justinian entered upon his Vandal and Gothic wars. Wishing 
to secure the influence of the pope and the Catholic party, he issued that mem- 

[29] 



30 ^y^LL RLN\)\UGS. 



orable decree which was to constitute the pope the head of all the churches, 
and from the carrying out of which, in 538 [when the last of the three Arian 
horns was plucked up], the period of papal supremacy is to be dated. And 
■ whoever will read the history of the African campaign, 533-534, and the Italian 
campaign, 534-538, will notice that the Catholics everywhere hailed as deliv- 
erers the army of Belisarius, the general of Justinian." — Thoughts on Daniel 
and the Revelation, p. ij6. 

"The celebrated letter of Justinian to the pope in the year 533, not only 
recognized all previous privileges, but enlarging them, and entitling the pope 
and his church to many immunities and rights, which afterisja7'd gave origin 
to the pretensions displayed in the canon law.'''' ■ — Gavazzi'' s Lectures, p. 66. 

It is clearly evident, therefore, that just as soon as the last opposition to 
the papacy was removed, it became firmly seated by the famous decree of 
Justinian, — that the bishop of Rome should be recognized as the head of the 
universal church and the corrector of heretics. The year 538 A. D. may be 
set down, then, as the time when the papacy became an established power. 

After speaking of the subjugation of the three powers by the 
'' little horn," what comparison does he draw between the sub- 
duing power and the others ? 

• And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise : and another 
shall rise after them ; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall sub- 
due three kings." Dan. 7:24. 

Notes. — "This evidently points out the papal supremacy, in every respect di- 
verse from the former, which, from small beginnings, thrust itself up among 
the ten kingdoms, till at length it successively eradicated three of them." — 
Bagster, in Cottage Bible. 

"They [the ten] were political kingdoms. And now we have but to 
inquire if any kingdom has arisen among the ten kingdoms of the Roman 
empire since A. D. 483, and yet diverse from them all ; and if so, what 
one. The answer is, The spiritual kingdom of the papacy. This answers to 
the symbol in every particular, as is easily proved." — Thoughts on Daniel 
and the Revelation, p. 12^. 

How was this power to use its authority ? 

' And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the 
saints of the Most High, and think to change times and lazus ; and they shall 
be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time." 
Verse 25. 

Notes. — The pope calls himself " the vicar of Christ." Leo X. blasphemously 
styled himself "The lion of the tribe of Judah." Leo XII. allowed himself 
to be called "The Lord our God." Pope Martin V. called himself "The 
most holy and most happy, who is the arbiter of heaven and the lord of the 
earth, the successor of St. Peter, the anointed of the Lord, the master of the 
universe, \]xq father of kings, the light of the world.'''' 

Augustinus Triumphus, a popish author, said : "The very doubt whether 
the council be greater than the pope, is absurd, because it involves the contra- 
diction that the supreme pontiff is not supreme. He cannot err, he camtot be 



deceived. It must be conceived concerning him that he kmnvs all ihuigs.''^ 
This blasphemy was solemnly indorsed by the cardinals and bishops of the 
Catholic Church, in the Ecumenical Council of 1870, which declared the pope 
to be infallible. 

The following is a portion of the infallibility dogma as translated by 
Hon. W. E. Gladstone, in the "Vatican Council," p. 201 : "All the faith- 
ful of Christ must believe that the holy apostolical see and the Roman pontiff 
possesses the primacy over the whole Avorld, and that the Roman pontiff is the 
successor of blessed Peter, prince of the apostles, and is true vicar of Christ, 
and head of the whole church, and father and teacher of all Christians ; and 
that full power was given to him in blessed Peter to rule, feed, and govern 
the universal church by Jesus Christ our Lord." 

"They have assumed infallibility, which belongs only to God. They pro- 
fess to forgive sins, which belongs only to God. They profess to open and 
shut heaven, which belongs only to God. They profess to be higher than all 
the kings of the earth, which belongs only to God. And they go beyond God 
in pretending to loose whole nations from their oath of allegiance to their 
kings, when such kings do not please them. And they go against God, when 
they give indulgences for sin. This is the worst of all blasphemies." — 
A. Clarke, on Dan. 7 .■ 2^. 

How has the papacy worn out the saints? — By its relentless per- 
secutions of Christians, having put to death more than fifty 
million during the period of its supremacy. 

Notes. — "No computation can reach the numbers who have been put to death, 
in different ways, on account of their maintaining the profession of the gospel, 
and opposing the corruptions of the Church of Rome. A million of poor 
Waldenses perished in France ; nine hundred thousand orthodox Christians 
were slain in less than thirty years after the institution of the order of the 
Jesuits. The Duke of Alva boasted of having put to death in the Nether- 
lands thirty-six thousand by the hand of the common executioner during the 
space of a few years. The Inquisition destroyed, by various tortures, one 
hundred and fifty thotcsand wi\h\n thirty years. These are a few specimens, 
and but a few, of those which history has recorded. But the total amount 
will never be known till the earth shall disclose her blood, and no more cover 
her slain." — Scotfs Church History. For further evidence, see Barnes's 
"Notes on Daniel," p. 328; Buck's "Theological Dictionary," art. Persecu- 
tions; Dowling's "History of Romanism:" "Fox's Book of Martyrs;" 
Charlotte Elizabeth's " Martyrology ; " " The Wars of the Huguenots ; " his- 
tories of the Reformation, etc. 

"To parry the force of this damaging testimony from all history, papists 
deny that the church has ever persecuted any one ; it has been the secular 
power ; the church has only passed decision upon the question of heresy, and 
then turned the offenders over to the civil power, to be dealt with according 
to the pleasure of the secular court. The impious hypocrisy of this claim is 
transparent enough to make it an absolute insult to common sense. In those 
days of persecution, what was the secular power ? — Simply a tool in the 
hand of the church, and under its control, to do its bloody bidding. And 
when the church delivered its prisoners to the executioners to be destroyed, 



.32 ^\^LL H^I\^\UGS, 



with, fiendish mockery it made use of the following formula : ' And we do 
leave thee to the secular arm, and to the power of the secular court ; but at 
the same time do most earnestly beseech that court so to moderate its sentence 
as not to touch thy blood, nor to put thy life in any sort of danger.' And 
then, 3S intended, the unfortunate victims of popish hate were immediately 
executed." — Thoiights on Daniel and the Revelation, p. 141. See Geddes's 
"Tracts on Popery;" "View of the Court of Inquisition in Portugal," p. 
446 ; Limborch, vol. 2, p. 289. 

'6. What change has the papacy sought to make in the law of God ? 

It has expunged the greater part of the second commandment, in order to estab- 
lish the adoration of images, dividing the tenth to complete the number ten. 
It has also abolished the fourth commandment (as far as its power extends) by 
substituting the first day of the week for the seventh. See Catholic Cate- 
chisms ; also "Plain Talk about the Protestantism of To-day," p. 213 ; "The 
Catholic Christian Instructed," chap. 23 ; "A Sure Way to Find out the True 
Religion," pp. 95, 96. 

"The keeping holy the Sunday is a thing absolutely necessary to salva- 
tion ; and yet this is nowhere put down in the Bible ; on the contrary, the 
Bible says. Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy (Ex, 20 : 8), which is 
Saturday^ and not Sunday ; therefore the Bible does not contain all things 
necessary to salvation, and, consequently, cannot be a sufficient rule of faith." 
— A Sure Way to Find out the True Religion. 

7. How long was the papacy to have power over the saints, times, 

and laws ? 

" And they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of 
tiine.'''' Dan. 7 :25, latter part. 

8. Where is this expression of time found in the New Testament ? 

" And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into 
the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, 
and half a time, from the face of the serpent." Rev. 12 : 14. 

9. How is this same period again represented ? 

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of 
God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore 
days.''' Verse 6. These days, being in symbolic prophecy, are themselves 
symbolic. 

[Q. What is the rule for reckoning symbolic days ? 

" This shall be a sign to the house of Israel. . . . And when thou hast accomplished 
them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house 
of Judah forty days : I have appointed thee each day for a year.'''' Eze. 4 : 3- 
6 ; Num. 14 : 34. 
Notes, — "So Eze. 4:6, 'I have appointed thee each day for a year,' where the 
prophet was symbolically to bear the iniquity of Israel as many days as they 
had sinned years. In this usage we find authority for interpreting days in 
prophecy as denoting 'years,'" — George Bush, Prof of Hebrew and Ori- 
ental Literature in New York City University, Notes on Num. 14 : J4. 



" It is a singular fact that the great mass of interpreters in the EngHsh 
and American world have, for many years, been wont to understand the days 
designated in Daniel and the Apocalypse as the representatives, or symbols, of 
years. I have found it difficult to trace the origin of this general, I might say 
almost universal, custom." — Stuarf s Hints, p. 77. 

Then 1260 years was to be the period of papal dominion. It having 
been established A. D. 538, the time when Justinian's decree went into effect, 
we find that the power of the papacy should be broken in 1798. 

11. What event marked the close of this period ? 

In February, 1798, Berthier entered Rome at the head of the French army, and 
taking Pope Pius VI. prisoner, established a republic in Rome. The pope 
died in exile the following year. For over two years there was no pope. 
See Chambers's Cyclopedia, art. Pius. 

In A. D. 1797, Napoleon was ordered by the French Directory to destroy 
the papal government. The pope was helpless, but instead of obeying orders. 
Napoleon, on his own responsibility, made peace with him, and returned to 
France. The words of the history are as follows : — 

"Bonaparte now invaded the papal territories, and rapidly overran them. 
He had orders from the directory to destroy the papal government, but, on his 
own responsibility, he disregarded these instructions, and concluded with the 
helpless pontiff the peace of Taleiitino on the 19th of February, 1 797. Upon 
the return of Bonaparte from Italy, General Berthier was ordered by the Di- 
rectory to carry out its instructions respecting the papal government, which 
Bonaparte had declined to execute. The people of the papal states were 
thoroughly discontented. Berthier marched to Rome, and was received as a 
deliverer. He proclaimed the restoration of the Roman republic ; made Pope 
Pius VI. a prisoner, and stripped him of all his property, . . . and removed 
him to France, where he was detained in captivity." — Pictorial History of 
the World, p. J^b. 

The pope was just as helpless in 1797 as he was in 1798, but 1797 was too 
early ; the time did not fully expire till 1798 ; and "the Scripture cannot be 
broken." John 10 : 35. 

12. What was to take place before the dominion should be entirely 

taken away ? 

'■'■But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume 
and to destroy it unto the end." Dan. 7 : 26. 

13. Where in this chapter is this judgment first spoken of? 

" A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him : thousand thousands min- 
istered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him : the 
judgment was set, and the books were opened.''^ Verse 10. 
Note. — The judgment scene here noticed is laid in heaven. (See reading on 
"The Judgment," p. 75.) But even in connection with the judgment (Dan. 
7:11) this power speaks such great blasphemy that the special attention of the 
prophet is called to his words. At the Ecumenical Council, July, 1870, the 
pope caused himself to be proclaimed infallible by a vote of 538 against 2. 

3 



34 



K R^HKRVvK^V^ SN^BO^. 



14. How soon after this did the pope lose his temporal dominion ? 

In September, 1870, when Rome, no longer supported by the French, who had 
been defeated by the Germans, surrendered to Victor Emmanuel. Possession 
of the pope's dominion was formally taken Oct. 2, 1870. See Chambers's 
Cyclopedia, art. Italy. 

15. By what means is the beast to be destroyed ? 

"I beheld then, because of the voice of the great words which the horn spake, I 
beheld even till the beast was slain, and his body destroyed, and given to the 
burning Jiame. ' ' Dan. 7:11. 

16. What is the "burning flame " that is to destroy the papacy? 

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume -^xXSx the 
spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.'''' 
2 Thess. 2 : 8. 






5- 



0ur Cord's G^^^^at Propbecy. 

HAT special promise did the Saviour make concerning his 
second coming? 

'In my Father's house are many mansions : if it were not so, I would have tokl 
you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for 
you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there 
ye may be also." John 14 : 2, 3. 

What was to take place before the Lord should return ? 

' The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great 
and the terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2:31. 
Upon hearing Christ say that the time would come when the tem- 
ple at Jerusalem should be entirely destroyed, what did the dis- 
ciples ask him ? 

'Tell us, when shall these things be ? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, 
and of the end" of the world ? " Matt. 24 : 3. 

Did he intimate that the end was then close at hand ? 
'And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 
For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ ; and shall deceive 
many. And ye shall hear of M'ars and rumors of wars : see that ye be not 
troubled; for all these things mtist come to pass, but the end is not yet ^ 
Verses 4-6. 
After telling them there would be w^ars, famines, pestilences, and 
earthquakes in many places, what did he say these would be ? 

[35] 



OUR \_OR\^"S ORLM ?RO?V\LG^. 3Y 

"All these are the beginning of sorrows.^^ Verse 8. With all these things trans- 
piring as only the beginning of sorrows, the disciples certainly could not look 
for the Lord's coming in their generation. 

6. To what extent is the gospel to be preached before the end ? 

" And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness 
unto all nations; and then shall the end come.'''' Verse 14. The word then, 
as here used, is an adverb of time, meaning "at that time." The gospel to 
be so preached is not to convert the world ; but is to be simply a "witness" 
unto all nations, that they may be condemned who do not obey it. 

7. What has been already admitted concerning the progress of the 

gospel ? 

"Within a year, Central Africa, the last remaining stronghold of barbarism, has 
been opened up, and missionaries are now preaching the truth in the territory 
of one of its fiercest and most powerful kings. If the doctrine of the pre- 
millennialists be correct, — that the gospel is to be preached, not to convert the 
world, ' but for a witness unto all nations,' and that when it is so preached we 
are to expect the end, — then it may well be that the end is nearer than most 
of us think." — Christian Union, Nov. ij, iSjS. 

8. After giving a general summary of matters, how did the Lord par- 

ticularize the events of the future ? 

" When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel 
the prophet, stand in the holy place (whoso readeth, let him understand)." 
Matt. 24 : 15. 

9. How is this same thought expressed elsewhere ? 

" And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the 
desolation thereof is nigh." Luke 21 : 20. 

10. What did our Lord say was to follow this destruction of the city ? 

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the 
world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." Matt. 24 : 21. 

11. How long was the papal power to hold sway over the saints ? 

"And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the 
saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws : and they shall 
be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.'''' 
Dan. 7 : 25. 

12. What is the meaning of the expression, "time and times and the 

dividing of time " ? 

"And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of 
God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore 
days.'''' Rev. 12:6. The period here given is again expressed in verse 14, 
by "time, times, and half [dividing of] a time." Twelve hundred and sixty 
days, then, is here meant by the expression "time, times, and half a time." 
But these days themselves are symbolic, and must refer to some literal period 
of time. 



38 ^\^V.t H^N^\nGS. 



13. What does a symbolic day indicate ? 

"This shall be a sign [symbol] to the house of Israel. . . . And when thou hast 
accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the 
iniquity of the house of Judah forty days : / have appointed thee each day 
for a year.'''' Eze. 4 : 3-6. 
Note. — These symbolic days would therefore indicate an equal number of lit- 
eral years. The papacy received its power to correct heretics in A. D. 538, by 
the confirmation of Justinian, the Roman emperor. The time to which the pa- 
pal power over the saints would extend (1260 years), ended in 1798. For fur- 
ther explanation of this point, see reading on "A Remarkable Symbol," p. 29. 

14. What did the Lord say would be done in view of the rigor of that 

persecution ? 

"And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved : but 
for the elecf s sake those days shall be shortened.'''' Matt. 24:22. The days 
of persecution simply, were to be shortened, and not the days predicted for 
the Roman power to bear rule. The Reformation under Wickliffe, Luther, 
and others softened public sentiment, which in a measure restrained the rage 
of the papacy, and so modified the tribulation. 

15. Did the Lord say he would return immediately after the tribulation 

ceased ? 

" Then if any man shall say unto yott, Lo, here is Christ., or there; believe it not. 
For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great 
signs and wonders ; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the 
very elect." Matt. 24 : 23, 24. 

16. W^hat did he say would immediately follow? 

" Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the stui be darkened, and the 
moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the 
powers of the heavens shall be shaken." Verse 29. 

17. How is this expressed by Mark? 

"But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the 
moon shall not give her light." Mark 13 : 24. That is, in the days of the 
papal power, but after the tribulation ceases, shall these events take place. 
The persecution was the strongest under the direction of the Jesuits. This 
order was founded by Ignatius Loyola, and established by Pope Paul, Sept. 
27, 1540. It finally became so distasteful to the popes, on account of its con- 
tinually growing power, that by a papal bull the order was dissolved, July 21, 
1773. From this time on there is no record of any open persecution of the 
saints. Then, according to the last text quoted, somewhere between 1773, 
when the persecution ended, and 1798, the time to which the prophetic days 
extended, we must look for the first of these signs given by our Lord — the 
darkening of the sun. 

18. Was there such a phenomenon? If so, when did it occur? — On 

May 19, 1780. 



Notes. — "The 19th day of May, 1780, was a remarkably dark day. Candles 
were lighted in many houses. The birds were silent, and disappeared. The 
fowls retired to roost. It was the general opinion that the day of judgment 
was at hand. The Legislature of Connecticut was in session at Hartford, 
but being unable to transact business, adjourned." — President Dwight, in 
Connecticut Historical Collections. 

*'The greatest darkness was at least equal to what is commonly called 
candle-lighting in the evening. The appearance was indeed uncommon, and 
the cause unknown. ' ' — Connecticut Journal, New Haven, May 2£, lySo. 

^^ Dark Day, The, May 19, 1780, so called on account of a remarkable 
darkness on that day, extending over all New England. In some places, per- 
sons could not see to read common print in the open air for several hours 
together. . . . The true cause of this remarkable phenomenon is not 
known.'''' — Webster'' s Unabridged Dictionary, in Explanatory and Pronounc- 
ing Vocabulary, art. Dark Day. 

The inquiry may be raised. Why was the darkening of the sun confined to 
so limited a district as a portion of the Western Hemisphere, if it was to be a 
sign of the Lord's coming ? — For the same reason that the star which guided 
the wise men of the East to the birthplace of the infant Saviour, was seen only 
by them. At that time, although the prophecies pointing to the first advent 
were fulfilled, and the time for the predicted star (Num. 24 : 17) to appear, 
was at hand, those claiming to be God's people, and living in the very land 
where the Messiah was to be born, were so far lost in darkness that God with- 
held from them the sign, and gave it to a few isolated yet faithful ones in the 
far East. Circumstances were similar when the time arrived for the first sign 
of the second advent to appear. Those claiming to be the Lord's people were 
sunk in coldness and formality. The sign could not have benefited them. 
There were, however, a few faithful souls who had been driven by persecution 
to seek a refuge on the shores of New England. To these, who would appre- 
ciate such a sign and preserve the knowledge of its appearance, God gave the 
first sign of the approach of his Son. 

19. When did the moon refuse to shine ? 

"The night succeeding that day (May 19, 1780) was of such pitchy darkness that 
in some instances horses could not be compelled to leave the stable when 
wanted for service." — Stone'' s History of Beverly (Mass.). 

The darkness of the night was as supernatural as that of the previous day, 
from the fact, as stated by Dr. Adams, that "the moon had fulled the day 
before." 

20. When did the stars fall, as predicted in the prophecy? — Novem- 

ber 13, 1833. 

Notes. — "But the most sublime phenomenon of shooting stars of which the 
world has furnished any record, was witnessed throughout the United States 
on the morning of the 13th of November, 1833. The entire extent of this 
astonishing exhibition has not been precisely ascertained ; but it covered no 
inconsiderable portion of the earth's surface. . . . The whole heavens 
seemed in motion, and suggested to some the awful grandeur of the image 



employed in the Apocalypse, upon the opening of the sixth seal, when ' the 
stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely 
figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.' " — Burritf s Geography of the 
Heavens, p. i6j, ed. i8^^. 

"No language, indeed, can come up to the splendor of that magnificent 
display ; and I hesitate not to say that no one who did not witness it can form 
an adequate conception of its glory. It seemed as if the whole starry heavens 
had congregated at one point near the zenith, and were simultaneously shoot- 
ing forth, with the velocity of lightning, to every part of the horizon ; and yet 
they were not exhausted ; thousands swiftly followed in the track of thou- 
sands, as if created for the occasion.'''' — Christian Advocate and Journal., 
Dec. I J, i8jj. 

A star or a meteor, prepared for the occasion, went before the wise men to 
direct them to the Saviour. It is not necessary that the planetary worlds 
should fall in order that the prophecy of Matt. 24 : 29 may be literally 
fulfilled. 

" The spectacle must have been of the sublimest order. The apostle John 
might have had it before him when he indited the passage referring to the 
opening of the sixth seal : ' And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even 
as a fig-tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind.' " 
— Edward Dunkin, F. R. A. S. of the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, in 
" The Heavens and the Earth,'''' p. 186. 

2 1. When the trees put forth their leaves, what does it indicate? 

"Now learn a parable of the fig-tree : When his branch is yet tender, and putteth 
forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh.'''' Matt. 24 : 32. 

22. What just as surely indicates the Lord's speedy coming? 

" So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the 
doors." Verse 33. 

23. How near is the Lord's coming when these signs have been ful- 

filled ? 

"Verily I say unto you. This generation shall not pass, till all these things be 
fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass 
away." Verses 34, 35. As though he said, This generation of which I 
speak ; the one that actually sees the last sign, has seen all of them in the 
sense that we have seen the progress of science. We have not actually lived 
during its entire development, but we look back and say we have seen it. So 
in this case. The same original word here used and translated "this," also 
occurs in Luke 17 : 34 : "I tell you in that night [the night of which I speak] 
there shall be two in one bed." 

24. Can we know the day and hour of his coming ? 

" But of that day and hour knoiveth no fnan, no, not the angels of heaven, but my 
Father only." Verse 36. 

25. What will be the moral condition of the world when the Lord 

comes ? 



42 OViR V.OR^S G^R^K^ ?HO?V\LCN. 

"But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. 
For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, 
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, 
and knew not until the flood came and took them all away ; so shall also the 
coming of the Son of man be. ' ' Verses 37-39. 

26. If we have knowledge of the Lord's coming, what is our duty ? 

"Therefore be ye also ready ; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man 
cometh." Verse 44. 

27. What will be the doom of those who say in their hearts that the 

Lord is not soon coming? 

"But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming, 
. . , the lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for 
him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder [mar- 
gin, cut him off '\, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites ; there shall 
be weeping, and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 24 : 48-5 1. 



fN the sun, and moon, and stars, 
Signs and wonders have appeared ; 
Earth has groaned with bloody wars, 
And the hearts of men have feared. 

Soon shall ocean's hoary deep. 

Tossed with stronger tempests, rise ; 

Darker storms the mountains sweep, 
Fiercer lightnings rend the skies. 

Dread alarms shall shake the proud, 
Pale amazement, restless fear ; 

And amid the thunder-cloud 

Shall the Judge of men appear. 

But, though from his awful face, 

Heaven shall fade, and earth shall fly, 

Fear not ye, his chosen race. 
Your redemption draweth nigh. 



^^^!^'^%^^^^ 





^be TVlillennium. 



O what time is the coming of Christ compared ? 

'■'■But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son 



of 



be." Matt. 24 : 37. 



2. How was it in the days of Noah ? 

" And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every 
ifnagination of the thoughts of his heart y^zs, only evil continually." Gen. 
6:5. 

What characteristics will be especially noticeable in the last days ? 

'This know also, that in the last ^2^^% perilous times shall come. For men shall 
be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobe- 
dient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, 
false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, 
heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a 
form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.'''' 2 Tim. 3 : 1-5. 

But will not this state of things grow better before the Lord comes ? 

' But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being de- 
ceived." Verse 13. 

Note. — " Even to the end of time there will still be occasion for the same com- 
plaint ; the world will grow no better, no, not when it is drawing toward its 
period. Bad it is, and bad it will be, and worst of all just before Christ's 
coming. ' ' — Matthew Henry, on Luke 18 : 8. 

Will it be easy for those living at this time to serve the Lord ? 

'Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Verse 

12. 
Note. — "As it was formerly, so it is now, and so it will be to the end of time ; 
he that is born after the flesh, the natural man, does and will persecute him 
that is born after the Spirit, the regenerate man. Notwithstanding some may 
live in more peaceful times than others, yet all Christians in all ages will suf- 
fer persecution." — Memoirs and Sermons of Whitefield. 

[43] 



44 ^\^\_^ R^ND\UGkS. 



6. In his parable of the wheat and tares, what did the Saviour say ? 
''Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say 

to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them." Matt. 
13 : 30- 

7. What are represented by the wheat and the tares ? 

"The field is the world ; the good seed are the children of the kingdom ; but the 
tares are the children of the wicked one.'''' Verse 38. 

8. When does the harvest come ? 

"The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; 
and the reapers are the angels." Verse 39. Thus it is plain that the wicked 
(tares) live with the righteous (wheat) till the end of the world. There is, 
then, no time before Christ's coming for a sinless state, in which all men 
shall give glory to God. 

9. When shall the " man of sin " (2 Thess. 2 : 3), also called " that 

Wicked," cease his iniquity ? 

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the 
spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.'''' 
2 Thess. 2 : 8. 
Note. — "Probably no such time shall ever appear, in which evil shall be 
wholly banished from the earth, till after the day of judgment, when, the 
earth having been burnt up, a new heaven and a new earth shall be pro- 
duced out of the ruins of the old, by the mighty power of God ; righteousness 
alone shall dwell in them." — Dr. A. Clarke, on Rev. 20 : 2. 

ro. How long is the 'Mittle horn" (Dan. 7 : 25) to make war with the 
saints ? 

" I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against 
them ; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints 
of the Most High ; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.'''' 
Dan. 7 : 21, 22. 

11. How many classes of people will there be on the earth when the , 

Lord comes ? 

"For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in 
the night. For when they shall say. Peace and safety ; then sudden destruc- 
tion cometh tipon them, as travail upon a woman with child ; and they shall 
not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should over- 
take you as a thief." i Thess. 5 : 2-4. 

12. What will those who are in darkness say when they hear about the 

Lord's coming ? 

"Knowing this first, that there shall coine in the last days scoffers, walking after 
their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming ? for since the 
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of 
the creation." 2 Peter 3 : 3, 4. 



Jews and Parsees, 15,470,000. 



Greek Catholics, 84,136,000. 



I'lotestanls, 114,815,500. 



Brahminical Hindoos, 120,000,000. 



Mohammedans, 122,400,000. 



Roman Cathohcs, 225,000,000. 



Pagans, 227,000,000. 



Buddhists, 482,600,000. 



Unclassified, 51,050,000. 



RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD. 



lUL \^\VVLUU\\)U. 45 



13. What will be popularly taught in the last days ? 

"But in the last days . . . many nations shall come, and say, Come, and let us 
go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob ; 
. . and he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar 
off ; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into 
pruning-hooks ; nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither shall 
they learn war any more." Micah 4 : 1-3. 

14. What does the Lord say will be the actual condition of the world 

just before the end ? 

"Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles: Prepare Avar, wake up the mighty men, 
let all the men of war draw near ; let them come up : beat your plowshares 
into swords, and your pruning-hooks into spears : let the weak say, I am 
strong." Joel 3 : 9, 10. 
Notes. — The annual amount paid for war in the world is $2,600,000,000 
[^537,190,083], while only $5,000,000 [;^i,033,058] is paid for Christian 
missions ! This puts an awful burden on labor, forcing it to pay $500,000,000 
[;^ 1 03, 305, 800] per day before its own wants are begun to be provided for. 
The aggregate war debt of the world is $23,000,000,000 [;/"4, 752,066, 116]. 
Eighty-three per cent of the income of Great Britain goes for war purposes. 

The number of men, horses, and cannon that several of the leading powers 
of Europe have at their command, is as follows: Russia, 1,519,810 men, 
181,000 horses, 2,084 cannon ; Germany, 835,000 men, 96,000 horses, 2,022 
cannon; Austria, 856,980 men, 58,125 horses, 1,600 cannon; England, 
478,800, men ; France, 124,650 men. The remaining states of Europe make 
up vvith the above a total of about 5,000,000 men. The figures given repre- 
sent the regular standing armies of these countries ; but in case of war, these 
numbers could and would be swelled indefinitely. 

15. But are not the heathen to be given to the Lord for an inheritance? 

" Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utter- 
most parts of the earth for thy possession," Ps. 2 : 8. 

16. What will the Lord do with them? 

"Thou shalt break them zuith a rod of iron ; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a 
potter's vessel." Verse 9. They are given to the Lord, not to be converted, 
but to be dashed in pieces. 
Notes. — A glance at the accompanying diagram will show the relative increase 
of the Christians as compared with the heathen world. The ratio there shown 
is based on the generally received number of inhabitants in all the world, 
namely, 1,400,000,000. As will be seen, Protestants comprise a little more 
than one thirteenth of the number, and all believers in Christ combined (Cath- 
olics, Greeks, and Protestants) reach only to a little more than one fourth of 
the world's population. And this is after more than eighteen and one half 
centuries of Christianity. The result now shown is not because missionary 
work is neglected ; for during the past hundred years, great efforts have been 
put forth in this direction. It is, however, a fact, according to statistics, that 
the annual birth-rate among the heathen is largely in excess of the converts 



46 ^\^LL RL[\\3\HGS. 



among them to Christianity. Take, for instance, the population of India, 
250,000,000. Allowing the birth-rate to be five per cent, which is a moder- 
ate estimate, the annual increase of inhabitants would be 12,500,000. If the 
converts to Christianity were to count up 100,000 a year in that country, it 
would be considered almost a miracle of grace. But even then the excess of 
births over the converts would be 12,400,000 every year. Lest these figures 
should seem appalling, we will make the estimate ten times more favorable 
toward evangelizing the heathen world. Suppose that each year there is 
but one birth for every 100 inhabitants of India, and that only one half of 
this number live to grow up. The native increase would then be 1,250,000, 
or 1,150,000 births in excess of the annual conversions to Christianity. 

Taking the whole heathen world as estimated at 1,000,000,000, and allowing 
one birth annually to every 200 inhabitants, it would give a yearly increase of 
inhabitants of 5,000,000. Reckoning the converts from all these, in the same 
proportion as from among the natives of India, we would receive into Chris- 
tianity each year, 400,000, which would be considered an immense number. 
This would give, of heathen children each year, an excess of 4,600,000 over 
the converts to Christianity. At this rate the prospect of converting the 
world before the Lord comes, so that all shall know him from the least unto 
the greatest, is certainly not very flattering. But the question may arise, if 
these figures are not offset by the deaths that annually occur among the 
heathen. Doubtless many die, and perhaps nearly as many each year as are 
born. But that does not help the matter, as those that have been evangelized 
stand their chance of dying with all the others, so that the same proportion of 
these drop off each year as of the heathen themselves. This places the mat- 
ter right back where our figures left it, with this exception, that some of the 
births occurring may be among the evangelized ones, and so saves them from 
being added to the list of heathen. 

To show that we are not alone in presenting the increase of the hea- 
then element in those lands, in excess of the conversions to Christianity, 
we give the following from Rev. James Johnson, F. S. S., in "A Century of 
Christian Missions," published in 1886. He says: "The heathen and Mo- 
hammedan population of the world is more by 200 million than it was a hun- 
dred years ago ; while the converts and their families do not amount to three 
million. The numbers now generally accepted as accurate and quoted by the 
church missionary and other societies, are 173 millions of Mohammedans and 
874 millions of heathen, 1,047 [million] in all. . . . We mourn over the sad 
fact that the increase of the heathen is numerically more than seventy times 
greater than that of the converts." 

"With reference to the work in civilized lands, the Rev. T, De Witt Tal- 
mage says : "I simply state a fact when I say that in many places the church 
is surrendering, and the world is conquering. Where there is one man 
brought into the kingdom of God through Christian instrumentality, there are 
ten men dragged down by dissipations. , . . Within the last twenty- five 
years the churches of God in this country have averaged less than two conver- 
sions a year each. There has been an average of four or five deaths in the 
churches. How soon, at that rate, will this vs^orld be brought to God ? We 
gain two ; we lose four. Eternal God ! what will this come to ? " Looking 
at the matter from whatever standpoint one will, there is no prospect of 
the world's being converted to Christ. 



lUL VI\\LLLHH\V^VK. 47 



17. When does the Lord thus rule the wicked nations in wrath ? 

**And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the 
nations ; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron : and he treadeth the wine- 
press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vest- 
ure and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords." Rev. 
19 : 15, 16. 

18. Then instead of looking for the conversion of the world, what 

should be the hope of the church ? 

" Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and 
our Saviour Jesus Christ.'''' Titus 2 : 13. See also 2 Tim. 4 : 6-8 ; I Thess. 
4 : 14-18 ; I Peter 5:4. 
Note. — The word millennium is made up of two Latin words — mille, a thou- 
sand, and annus, a year — and means a thousand years. The only place in 
the Bible where a definite thousand years is mentioned is in Rev. 20 : 1-9. 
For explanation of that period, see reading on p. 219. 



fHE coming King is at the door, 
Who once the cross for sinners bore, 
But now the righteous ones alone 
He comes to gather home. 

The signs that show his coming near 
Are fast fulfilling year by year, 
And soon we'll hail the glorious dawn 
Of heaven's eternal morn. 

Look not on earth for strife to cease. 
Look not below for joy and peace, 
Until the Saviour comes again 
To banish death and sin. 

Then in the glorious earth made new 
We'll dwell the countless ages through ; 
This mortal shall immortal be, 
And time, eternity. 



tM 'Mm mn f^ofiTMBm^Mi 




This holy day Jehovah hlesse'i 
Ere sorrow, pain, or death 
were born. 
And sanctified for man his rest 
In glad creation's sinless 
morn. 




-i^ 



Institution of the gabbatb. 




N his mention of the " little horn," what does the proj^het say 
that power should think to do ? 

" And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear 
out the saints of the Most High, and tliink to change times and laws.'''' 
Dan. 7 : 25. 

2. What does Paul say the " man of sin " should do ? 

Except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son 
of perdition ; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, 
or that is worshiped." 2 Thess. 2 : 3, 4. 

Note. -^ There is only one way by which any power could exalt itself above God. 
Although it might enact numberless ceremonies, the observance of which 
would be demanded as strictly as God requires his commandments to be 
obeyed, yet as long as the people felt obliged to obey God also, no power 
could be said to be elevated above God. It would only be equal with him. 
In order, then, for this power to exalt itself above God, it must of necessity 
seek to change God's law, or some portion of it, and require obedience to his 
own law instead of God's. 

What power has attempted to change the law of God ? — The 
papacy ; as proved by history and the admissions of Catholic 
writers themselves, such as the following : — 

' Ques. — Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to insti- 
tute festivals of precept ? 
[48] 



\usinv)i\OH ov ivA^ s^B^^^v^. 



** Ans. — Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all mod- 
ern religionists agree with her, — she could not have substituted the observ- 
ance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the 
seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority." — Doctrinal 
Catechism (Catholic), p. 1^4. See also, reading on "The Change of the Sab- 
bath," p. 60. 

4. What does the Sabbath commandment require ? 

^'■Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all 
thy work ; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou 
shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, 
nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates." 
Ex. 20 : 8-10. 

5. Why did the Lord set apart the seventh day for man to keep ? 

"For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, 
and rested the seventh day ; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and 
hallowed it." Verse 1 1. 

6. Did God bless the seventh day while he was resting upon it, or 

after that rest was finished ? 

"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it; because that in it he had 
rested from, all his work which God created and made." Gen. 2 : 3. Then 
the blessing of God could not pertain to the first seventh day, as that was al- 
ready past, and past time could not well be blessed. The blessing pronounced 
on the seventh day must therefore have been iox future seventh days. 

7. What three distinct acts were necessary to establish the Sabbath of 

the commandment ? 

God rested on it ; he blessed it ; he sanctified it. " Sanctify: to make sacred or 
holy ; to set apart to a holy or religious use." — Webster. 

8. For whom was it thus made ? 

"And he said unto them. The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the 
Sabbath." Mark 2 : 27. It was not made for the Jews alone. The Jews 
derive their name from Judah, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, from whom 
they are descended. The Sabbath was made more than two thousand years 
before there was a Jew. 

9. How does the Bible use the term sanctify in other texts ? 

" And Moses said unto the Lord, The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai ; for 
thou chargedst us, saying, Set bounds about the mount, and sanctify it.'''' Ex. 
19:23. See also Joel I : 14, where it says: "Sanctify \i. e., appoint] ye a 
fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the 
land into the house of the Lord." In all places in the sacred text it means to 
appoint, or proclaim, as in Joshua 20 : 7 ; 2 Kings 10 : 20, 21 ; Zeph. I : 7, 
margins. So when the Sabbath was sanctified, as the last act by which it was 
made for man, an appointment, or proclamation, of the Sabbath was given. 

4 



50 ^\BV.L ?.LND\UGS, 



Notes. — "If we had no other passage than this of Gen. 2 :3, there would be 
no difficulty in deducing from it a precept for the universal observance of a 
Sabbath, or seventh day, to be devoted to God as holy time, by all of that 
race for whom the earth and its nature were specially prepared. The first 
men must have known it. The words he hallowed it can have no meaning 
otherwise. They would be a blank unless in reference to some who were 
required to keep it holy." — Lange'' s Commentary, vol. i, p. igy. 

" 'And sanctified it.' Heb., kadash. It is by this term that the positive 
appointment of the Sabbath as a day of rest to man is expressed. God's sanc- 
tifying the day is equivalent to his commanding men to sanctify it. As at the 
close of creation the seventh day was thus set apart by the Most High for 
such purposes, without limitation to age or country, the observance of it is 
obligatory upon the whole human race, to whom, in the wisdom of Provi- 
dence, it may be communicated. This further appears from the reason why 
God blessed and sanctified it, viz., '•because that in it he had rested,' etc., 
which is a reason of equal force at all times and equally applying to all the 
posterity of Adam ; and if it formed a just ground for sanctifying the first 
day, which dawned upon the finished system of the universe, it must be 
equally so for sanctifying every seventh day to the end of time." — Notes on 
Gen. 2 ."J, by Geo. Bush, P'^'of- of Hebrew and Oriental Literature in New 
York City University. 

When Israel murmured in the wilderness, and God designed to 
give them manna for food, how did he say he would prove them ? 

"Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you ; 
and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may 
prove them, whether they will zvalk in my law, or no.'''' Ex. 16:4. 

On which day did the people gather a double portion of the 
manna ? 



" And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two 
omers for one man ; and all the rulers of the congregation came and told 
Moses." Verse 22. 

12. When the rulers told Moses of this act, what reply did he make? 

"And he said iinto them, This is that wJiich the Lord hath said. To-morrow is the 
rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord." Verse 23. This was a full month, 
and more, before the proclamation of the Sabbath from Sinai. 

13. Whe7i had God said this ? 

In the beginning, when God sanctified the vSabbath, thus proclaiming its sacred- 
ness. Gen. 2 : 3. 

14. What did some of the people do on the seventh day ? 

" And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for 
to gather, and they found none." Verse 27. 

15. How did God reprove their disobedience? 

" And the Lord said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and 
my laws ? ' ' Verse 28. 



\US1\"\V^1\0H OV ^V\L SK^^MH. 51 

1 6. Was breaking the Sabbath a refusal to walk in the law of Gdd ? 

"See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the 
sixth day the bread of two days ; abide ye every man in his place, let no man 
go out of his place on the seventh day." Verse 29. 

17. How did the Lord prove the people (verse 4) whether they would 

keep his law, or not ? 

By the Sabbath commandment ; and so the Sabbath was a part of God's law even 
before it was spoken from Sinai. It is this sacred institution, which God pre- 
served by the miracle of the falling manna, that the papal power has thought 
to subvert. 

18. Why did God give the Sabbath? 

" And hallow my Sabbaths ; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye 
may know that I am the Lord your God.'''' Eze. 20 : 20. 
Note. — As the Sabbath was given that man might keep in memory the creative 
power of God, it can be readily seen that a power endeavoring to exalt itself 
above God M^ould first try to cover up or remove that which called man's 
special attention to his Creator, This could be done in no way so effectually 
as by setting aside God's memorial — the seventh-day Sabbath. To this work 
of the papacy Daniel had reference when he said, He shall *' think to change 
times and laws." Chap, 7 :25. 



T-J AIL, peaceful day ! divinely blest ! 
Y Sweetly thy glories would we sing, 
Memorial of that sacred rest 

Of vast creation's mighty King : 
This hallowed time to man was given, 
A foretaste of the bliss of heaven. 

Hark ! through the shining courts above 
What rapturous praises echo now ! 

Around that holy law of love 
Seraphs in adoration bow ; 

Let earth, responsive to the strain, 

Exalt alone Jehovah's name. 

O come, thou bright, immortal day ! 

When at his temple all adore. 
And own his universal sway 

From age to age, forevermore ; 
Then Zion shall in triumph reign, 
And Eden bloom on earth again. 




gundai/ Saei^edness. 

N what part of the New Testament is found the first mention of 
the first day of the week ? 

'■'•In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the Jirst day of the 
week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher." 
Matt. 28 : I. Sunday is the first day of the week. See Webster. Matthew 
wrote his Gospel six years after the resurrection of Christ, yet calls the day 
before the first day, the Sabbath. 

2. Where is the first day next mentioned ? 

'''' And when the Sabbath %aas past, . . . very early in the morning tJie first day 
^/ //;£" •^£/^<f/^ they came unto the sepulcher at the rising of the sun." Mark 
16 : I, 2. This is the same incident as that related by Matthew, and Mark 
wrote his Gospel thirty-two years after the resurrection of Christ. 

3. On what day was Jesus raised from the dead ? 

"Now tvhen Jestis tvas risen early the first day of the zueek, he appeared first to 
Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils." Verse 9. 

4. On what day was Christ laid in the tomb ? 

"This man [Joseph] went imto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he 
took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that was 
hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the 
preparation, and the Sabbath drew on.'''' Luke 23 : 52-54. 

5. What did the holy women do, after seeing where he was laid? 

"And they returned, tiw^ prepared spices and ointments ; and rested the Sabbath 
day according to the commandment." Verse 56. 

6. What work did they postpone till the first day because they would 

not do it on the Sabbath ? 

"Now upon the first day of the zueek, very early in the morning, they came unto 
the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others 
with them." Luke 24:1. Luke wrote his Gospel twenty-four years after 
the events he records had occurred, and he, too, by Inspiration, calls the day 
before the first day of the week, the Sabbath. 

[52] 



SV^H\)[\X SNO\^L\^ULSS. 53 



7. How does John speak of these events ? 

" The first day of the zveek comet h Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, 
unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher. " 
John 20 : I. John wrote his Gospel in A. D. 97, and yet he gives no title of 
sacredness to the first day. He gives substantially the same account as the 
other evangelists. 

8. What took place in the evening of that same first day ? 

"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors 
were shut zuhere the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jcws^ canie Jesus 
and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you." Verse 19. 

9. Had Jesus previously appeared to some of his disciples ? 

'■'■ He appeared in another foi'in ztnto two of them, as they walked, and went into 
the country." Mark 16 : 12. 

10. When they went and told the others who were assembled, how did 

they receive the news ? 

"And they went and told it unto the residue; neither belicTcd they them.'''' 
Verse 13. 

11. When Jesus afterward met the eleven, what did he say to them ? 

"Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided the?n 
with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them ivhich 
had seen him after he was risen." Verse 14. From this testimony it is plain 
that the eleven were not assembled together to celebrate his resurrection ; for 
they did not believe he was risen. 

12. Did Christ appear to the eleven while the two who had seen him 

at Emmaus were relating their experience ? 

"And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 
eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying. The Lord is 
risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. . . . And as they thus spake, 
Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them. Peace be unto 
you." Luke 24 : 33-36. 

13. Were the disciples here assembled to partake of the communion? 

" And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them. Have 
ye here any meat ? And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an 
honey-comb. A^id he took it, and did eat before them.''^ Verses 41-43. Fish 
and honey are never used at the communion. 

14. Where did the disciples live when in Jerusalem? 

" And when they were come in, they went up into an vipper room, ivhcre abode both 
Peter, and James, and Jolin, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Barthol- 
omew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphcieus, and Simon Zelotes, and 
Judas the brother of James." Acts i : 13. They all abode in this room, and 
were probably at home, partaking of their evening meal, when the Saviour 
met with them. He knew their habits and their time of eating, and when he 
came, he found them with their doors closed for fear of the Jews. 




J,, ^ 



SV)H\)f\^ SNCRLDHLSS. 55 



15. When did the Saviour next meet with his disciples ? 

'■'■ And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: 
then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said. Peace 
be unto you." John 20 : 26. This is not the eighth day, but '''•after eight 
days,'''' — an indefinite expression. If this were a definite expression, it would 
carry the meeting (counting from Sunday night) over beyond Monday of the 
next week. (For meaning of such expressions, compare the text with Matt. 
17:1 and Luke 9 : 28.) 

16. On what day did Paul once meet with the brethren at Troas ? 

"And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break 
bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow ; and con- 
tinued his speech until midnight." Acts 20 : 7. 

17. At what time of day was this meeting held ? 

" And there were many lights in the tipper chamber, where they were gathered 
together." Verse 8. 

Notes. — "Because the text saith there were many lights in the upper room where 
they were gathered together, and that Paul preached from the time of their 
coming together till midnight, . . . this meeting of the disciples at Troas, 
and Paul's preaching to them, began at evening. The sole doubt will be 
what evening this was. . . . For my own part, I conceive clearly that it was 
upon Saturday night, as we falsely call it, and not the coming Sunday night. 
. . . Because St. Luke records that it was upon the first day of the week 
when this meeting was. . . . Therefore it must needs be on the Saturday, 
not on our Sunday evening, since the Sunday evening in St. Luke's and the 
Scripture account was no part of the first, but of the second day, the day ever 
beginning and ending at evening." — William Pry nne, in '■'■Dissertation on 
the Lord^s Day Sabbath,'''' pp. J6-41, i6jj. 

" The labors of the early days of the week that was spent at Troas are 
not related to us ; but concerning the last day we have a narrative which 
enters into details with all the minuteness of one of the Gospel histories. It 
was the evening which succeeded the Jewish Sabbath. On the Sunday morn- 
ing the vessel was about to sail." — Conybeare and Howsofi' s Life of Paul, p. 
626, people'' s edition, i8y8. 

"He pursued his lonely road that Sunday afternoon in spring, among the 
oak-woods and the streams of Ida." — Id., p. 62g. 

"I conclude, therefore, that the brethren met on the night after the Jew- 
ish Sabbath, which was still observed as a day of rest by all of them who were 
Jews or Jewish proselytes, and considering this the beginning of the first day 
of the week, spent it in the manner above described. On Sunday morning, 
Paul and his companions resumed their journey, being constrained, no doubt, 
by the movements of the ship, which had already been in the harbor of Troas 
seven days." — P'^of Mc Garvey, Commentary on Acts. 

" The idea of the transferrence of the Jetvish Sabbath from the seventh day 
to the first, was an invention of later times." — Henry Alford, D. D., on Acts 
20 : 7, in " New Testament for English Readers.'''' 



56 SV^HDM SNCRL^ULSS. 



i8. How many accompanied Paul on his journey into Asia on this 
occasion ? 

"And there accompanied him into Asia Sopater of Berea ; and of the Thessa- 
lonians, Aristarchus and Secundus ; and Gains of Derbe, and Timotheus ; 
and of Asia, Tychicus and Trophiinus.'''' Acts 20 : 4. 

19. While Paul was walking across the peninsula (nineteen and one 

half miles) to Assos, what were his companions doing ? 

"And we zuent before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending to take in 
Paul ; for so had he appointed, minding himself to go afoot." Verse 13. 
None of them regarded Sunday as anything more than an ordinary day. 

20. What did Paul tell the Corinthian church to do on Sunday ? 

" Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God 
hath prospered him, that tliere be no gatherings when I come." I Cor. 16 : 2. 

21. What was this collection for? 

" Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches 
of Galatia, even so do ye." Verse I. 
Note. — This was not to be taken up in the public congregation. "Let every 
one of you lay by him in store.'''' Greenfield, in his Lexicon, translates 
the Greek term, by one's self, i. e., at home ; two Latin versions, the Vul- 
gate and that of Castellio, apud se, with one's self, at home ; three French 
translations, those of Martin, Osterwald, and De Sacy, chez soi, at his own 
house, at home ; the German of Luther, bei sick selbst, by himself, at home ; 
the Dutch, bij zich zelven, same as the German ; the Italian of Diodati, 
appresso di se, in his own presence, at home ; the Spanish of Phelipe Scio, 
en su casa, in his own house ; the Portuguese of Ferreira, para isso, with him- 
self ; the Swedish, naer sig sj'elf, near himself. 

This completes the entire list of texts in the New Testament containing a 
mention of the first day of the week, and they all treat that day as only a 
common day. 

2 2. When was John in the Spirit? 

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a 
trumpet." Rev. i : 10. 

23. What day has God called his ? 

"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy 
day."" Isa. 58 : 13. 

24. Of what day has Christ claimed to be Lord ? 

" Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath."" Mark 2 : 28. Then the 
Sabbath is the Lord's day. The other six are for man's use, in which to 
labor. Sunday sacredness is not known in the New Testament. 




^K^ \o \-0^^ M-SO OF 



.^^^ 



"b' 



.o^ 



Sa 



%n 



n^wj T^estament gabbatB. 




5- 



6. 



f N what order do the Sabbath and first day stand in the week ? 

J "In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn tozvard the first day of the 
week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulcher." 
Matt. 28 : I. 

After the crucifixion, what day was kept by the women who fol- 
lowed Jesus ? 

' And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments ; and rested the Sabbath 
day according to the conwiand7nent.'''' Luke 23 : 56. 

What day is the Sabbath " according to the commandment " ? 

' But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; in it thou shalt not do 
any work." Ex. 20 : 10. 

How did the holy women regard the first day of the week ? 

' Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came tmto the 
sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others 
with them." Luke 24 : I. 

What was the custom of Christ in regard to the Sabbath ? 

' And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up ; and, as his custom 
was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood tip for to read.''"' 
Luke 4:16. 

In predicting the overthrow of Jerusalem, and the necessity of 
fleeing from Judea' before that time, what did he enjoin upon 
his disciples regarding the Sabbath ? 

'But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day.^'' 
Matt. 24 : 20. The destruction of Jerusalem was accomplished by the Romans 
in A. D. 70 ; and the Sabbath, therefore, was certainly commanded by Christ 
as late as that period. 

[57] 



58 B\^\_L R^N\)\UOS. 



7. What title does Inspiration give to the day on which the Jews met 

in the synagogues ? 

" For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the 
synagogues every Sabbath dayy Acts 15 :2i. The Jews read Moses in the 
synagogue only on the seventh day- — never on the first day. But these days 
on which they did read Moses, are said in the text to include every Sabbath 
day. 

8. To whom was Paul especially commissioned to preach ? 

"But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way ; for he [Paul] is a chosen vessel unto 
me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of 
Israel." Acts 9 : 15 *, 22 : 21 ; Rom. i : 5. 

9. On what day did he and Barnabas go into the synagogue at 

Antioch ? 

"But when they departed from Perga, they came to Antioch in Pisidia, and went 
into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and sat down.'''' Acts 13 : 14. 

10. After the sermon had been preached by Paul, and the Jews had 

all left the synagogue, what did the Gentiles request of the 
apostles? 

"And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, tJie Gentiles besought that 
these words might be preached to them the 7iext Sabbath.'''' Verse 42. 
Note. — This was as late as a. D. 45. The Jews had all left the meeting, and 
as Paul was the minister to the Gentiles, there was nothing to deter the apos- 
tle from announcing a meeting for them on the following day, Sunday, if 
that was to be the Christian Sabbath. But nothing to this effect is said in 
the text or its connection. 

11. What was the result of this request of the Gentiles ? 

"And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word 
of God." Verse 44. 

12. On what day did the women at Philippi hold their prayer-meet- 

ings ? 

"And 071 the Sabbath we went out of the city by a river -side, where prayer was 
wont to be made ; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted 
thither." Acts 16 : 13. 

13. What shows that upon his arrival in the city, the apostle waited 

for the Sabbath before attempting to hold a meeting ? 

" And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, 
and a colony ; and we were in that city abiding certain days.'''' Verse 12. 

14. What was Paul's customary day for holding religious services ? 

"They came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews : and Paul, as 
his manner was, went in unto the77i, and three Sabbath days reasoned with 
them out of the Scriptures." Acts 17 : I, 2. 



15. How did the apostle spend the working days of the week when at 

Corinth ? 

" After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth ; and found 
a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his 
wife Priscilla : . . . and because he was of the same craft, he abode with 
them, and wrought ; for by their occupation they were tent-makers." Acts 
18 : 1-3. 

16. What did he do on the Sabbath days ? 

"And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the 
Greeks." Verse 4. 

17. How long did he continue this work? 

" And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among 
them." Verse ii. 
Note. — Here were seventy-eight Sabbaths on which Paul preached in one city. 
The record further says that he worked at his trade, and we may justly infer 
that Paul worked at tent-making just as many Sundays as he preached Sab- 
baths. But if we place with these seventy-eight Sabbaths, the three he spent 
at Thessalonica, the one at Philippi, and the two at Antioch, we have a record 
of eighty-four Sabbaths on which the apostle held religious services, while 
he held only one on the first day, and that only a night meeting, immediately 
following the Sabbath. See reading on " Sunday Sacredness," p. 52, 

18. On what day was John in the Spirit? 

" I was in the Spirit 07i the Lord'' s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a 
trumpet." Rev. I : 10. 

19. Who is Lord of the Sabbath? 

"Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark 2 : 28. Also 
means "in like manner." 

20. Who else besides Christ claims the Sabbath as his day ? 

"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my 
[God's] holy day.'' Isa. 58 : 13. 

2 1. Why does God call it his day ? 

" For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, 
and rested the seventh day ; zuherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and 
hallowed it."" Ex. 20: II. 

2 2. But how did God create the world ? 

"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the 
fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, 
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.'' 
Heb. 1:1,2. 
Note. — Then when God rested from his creative work, the Son, by whom this 
work was performed, rested also. He could therefore well claim, by right of 
creation, to be Lord of the Sabbath, just the same as God himself. It was 
doubtless from this consideration that he said he was Lord ALSO of the Sabbath. 




C^J^ CCORDING to the prophet, what was to be Christ's attitude 
(HyC toward his Father's law ? 

^^*^ ^^1^ "The T.ord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake ; //<? 7tv/// magnify 
the law, and make it Jionorahle.'''' Isa. 42 : 21. 

2. How much of the law did he uphold ? 

" For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall 
in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5 : 18. 

3. How were those to be regarded who should break one of these 

commandments ? 

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall 
teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdo7n of heaven.'''' Verse 19. 

4. How much of the law did Christ say is suspended on the two great 

commandments of love ? 
" On these two commandments hang Aix the law and the prophets." Matt. 22 : 40. 
Note. — The entire code of ten commandments is clearly binding on Christians. 
From the above texts we learn that Christ had no thought of changing any of 
them. One of these commands the observance of the seventh day as the Sab- 
bath. But the practice of most Christians is different ; they keep the first 
day of the week instead, many of them believing that Christ changed the 
Sabbath. But we see from his own words that he has not attempted such a 
work. 

5. What.is said of the power represented by the " little horn " ? 

"And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the 
saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws.'''' Dan. 7 : 25. 
For location of this power, see reading on " A Remarkable Symbol," p. 29. 

6. What power claims authority to change God's law? — The Ro- 

man Church. 

Notes. — "The pope has power to change times, to abrogate laws, and to dis- 
pense with all things, even the precepts of Christ." — Decretal De Translate 
Episcop. Cap. 
[60] 



"The pope has authority, and has often exercised it, to dispense with the 
commands of Christ respecting war, marriage, divorce, revenge, swearing, 
usury, perjury, and uncleanness." — Pope Nicholas, Cans. 75, Quest. 6. 

" The pope's will stands for reason. He can dispense above the law ; and 
of wrong make right, by correcting and changing laws.'''' — Pope Nicholas, 
Dist. q6. 

7. What part of the law has this power thought to change? — The 

fourth commandment. 

Notes. — "They [the Catholics] allege the Sabbath changed into Sunday, the 
Lord's day, contrary to the decalogue, as it appears ; neither is there any ex- 
ample more boasted of than the changing of the Sabbath day. Great, say 
they, is the power and authority of the church, since it dispensed with one of 
the ten commandments." — Augsburg Confession, art. 28. 

"It [the Roman Church] has reversed the fourth commandment, doing 
away with the Sabbath of God's word, and instituting Sunday as a holy day." 
— A^. Sum??ierbell, in History of the Christians, p. 418. 

8. Who first enjoined Sunday-keeping by law? — Constantine the 

Great. 

Notes. — "The earliest recognition of the observance of Sunday as a legal duty 
is a constitution of Constantine in 321 A. D., enacting that all courts of justice, 
inhabitants of towns, and workshops were to be at rest on Sunday (vener- 
abili die Solis) , with an exception in favor of those engaged in agricultural 
labor." — Encyclopedia Britannica, art. Sunday, ninth edition, i88y. 

" Constantine the Great made a law for the whole empire (a. D. 321) that 
Sunday should be kept as a day of rest in all cities and towns ; but he allowed 
the country people to follow their work." — Encyclopedia A7?iericana, art. 
Sabbath. 

9. What did Constantine's law require ? 

"Let all the judges and town people, and the occupation of all trades rest on the 
venerable day of the sun ; but let those who are situated in the country, freely 
and at full liberty attend to the business of agriculture ; because it often hap- 
pens that no other day is so fit for sowing corn and planting vines ; lest, the 
critical moment being let slip, men should lose the commodities granted by 
Heaven." — Translated from the original edict in Latin, nozv in Harvard 
College. 
Note. — It will be noticed that in this edict no sacred title is given to the day to 
be observed ; it is called simply the "venerable day of the sun," and was en- 
forced only as such. Constantine, like his ancestors, was a worshiper of the 
sun. The first day of the week had for ages been dedicated to that worship, 
and from that fact retains the name Sunday. See Webster. But on acknowl- 
edging Christ, Constantine refused to surrender the venerable day of the sun, 
and brought it into Christianity with him, and thus it was handed down to the 
Christian church. 

10. When and by what authority was Sunday first enjoined upon 
Christians as the Lord's day? 



THE IvAW OK OOD 


AS GIVEN BY JEHOVAH. 


AS CHANGED BY MAN. 


\ W\V.\. UO-V ^U1H IHt TH\UG THM \S GOUt 


Wt SHkLV ■^H\UK W\UStL? KBLt 10 CHKHOt 


OUT 0? VlN V\PS," 


IVVitS KUQ V^Vgs." QKN\tL 1.2.5 


I. 


OOUM B\BVt. 


I. 


Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 


I am the Lord thy God: thou shalt not 
have strange gods before me. 




n. 




Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven 




image, or any likeness of any thing that is 




in heaven above, or that is in the earth be- 




neath, or that is in the water under the 




earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to 




them, nor serve them; for I the Lord thy 




God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity 




of the fathers upon the children unto the 




third and fourth generation of them that 




hate me, and showing mercy unto thousands 




of them that love me, and keep my com- 




mandments. 




III. 


II. 


Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 


Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord 


thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold 


thy God in vain. 


him guiltless that laketh his name in vain. 




IV. 


III. 


Remember the Sabbath day to keep it 


Remember that thou keep holy the Sab- 


holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all 


bath day. 


thy work; but the seventh day is the Sab- 




bath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt 




not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy 




daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid- 




servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that 




is within thy gates; for in six days the Lord 




made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that 




in them is, and rested the seventh day; 




wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, 




and hallowed it. 




V. 


IV. 


Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy 


Honor thy father and thy mother. 


days may be long upon the land which the 




Lord thy God giveth thee. 




VI. 


V. 


Thou shalt not kill. 


Thou shalt not kill. 


VII. 


VI. 


Thou shalt not commit adultery. 


Thou shalt not commit adultery. 


VIII. 


VII. 


Thou shalt not steal. 


Thou shalt not steal. 


IX*. 


VIII. 


Thou shalt not bear false witness against 


Thou shalt not bear false witness against 


thy neighbor. 


thy neighbor. 


X. 


IX. 


Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, 


Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife. 


thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor 




his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor 




his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy 


X. 


neighbor's. 


Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods. 



[62] 



Prynne says: "The seventh-day Sabbath was . . . solemnized by Christ, the 
apostles, and primitive Christians, till the Laodicean Council did, in a man- 
ner, quite abolish the observation of it. . . . The Council of Laodicea 
[A. D. 364] . . . first settled the observation of the Lord's day." — Disser- 
tation on the Lord'' s Day Sabbath, p. i6j, i6jj. 

11. What did this council decree about the Sabbath? 

"Because Christians ought not to Judaize, and to rest in the Sabbath, but to work 
in that day. . . . Wherefore if they shall be found to Judaize, let them be 
accursed from Christ." — Id., pp. 33,34. The foregoing are Protestant 
testimonies. 

12. But do Catholics themselves acknowledge their meddling with the 

Sabbath commandment? — They do. 

" Ques. — How prove you that the church hath power to command feasts 
and holy days ? 

'■'• Ans. — By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which 
Protestants allow of ; and therefore they fondly contradict themselves by 
keeping Sunday strictly, and breaking most other feasts commanded by the 
same church." — Abridgment of Christian Doctrine, p. ^8. 

" Ques. — Have you any other way of proving that the church has power 
to institute festivals of precept ? 

'■'■ Ans. — Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which 
all modern religionists agree with her, — she could not have substituted the 
observance of Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Satur- 
day, the seventh day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority." — 
Doctrinal Catechism, p. 3^1. 

13. To whom do people really pay homage ? 

" Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye 
are to whom ye obey ? " Rom. 6:16. 

14. What kind of worship does the Saviour call that which is not 

according to God's commandments ? 

' ' But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines t?ie commandments of men. ' ' 
Matt. 15 : 9. 

15. What was the difference between Elijah's faith, and that of the 

other prophets of his day ? 

"Then said Elijah unto the people, 1, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord ; 
but BaaPs prophets are four hundred and fifty men." i Kings 18 : 22. 

16. Who was the Baal of the heathen Hebrews ? 

"Baal, or Bel, the principal god of the Phoenicians, Chaldaeans, and Carthaginians, 
is regarded as a personification of the sun. . . . The worship of Baal pre- 
vailed among the ancient Jews in the time of the prophet Elijah and earlier." 
— Johnson'' s Universal Cyclopedia, art. Baal. 



64 



^VAL CUKUGkL OV "\V\L SN^^KTV\. 



"The Baal of the Syrians, Phoenicians, and heathen Hebrews is a much less 
elevated conception than the Babylonian Bel. He is properly the sun-god, 
Baal Shamem, Baal (lord) of the heavens." — Encyclopedia Britannica, art. 
Baal. 

17. What appeal did Elijah make to the people? 

" How long halt ye between two opinions ? if the Lord be God, follow him ; but if 
Baal, then follow him.'''' i Kings 18:21. 
Note. — If one becomes a servant to whoever he obeys, and he obeys the dic- 
tates of the Roman Church, knowing them to be such, would he not, in the 
sight of Heavea, h& regarded as a servant of that church instead of a servant 
of God ? How appropriate, then, are the words of Elijah (with a slight 
change) to those who learn the origin of Sunday observance: "How long 
halt ye between two opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow him ; but if the 
Roman Church, follow it." 



-^^i^-^- 



^iTHO is on the Lord's side, 
* * Always true ? 
There's a right and wrong side, 
Where stand you ? 

Thousands on the wrong side 

Choose to stand. 
Still 'tis not the strong side. 

True and grand. 

Come and join the Lord's side : 

Ask you why ? — 
'Tis the only safe side 

By and by. 





Signs of the T'imes. 



8. 



'OR what did Christ censure the Jewish people ? 

" O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky ; but can ye not discern 
the signs of the times .■? " Matt. 16:3. 

What sign had Isaiah given by which Christ might be known as 
the Messiah ? 

Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign : Behold, a virgin shall con- 
ceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. " Isa. 7 : 14. 

Was this fulfilled ? 

Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord 
by the prophet, saying. Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring 
forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel." Matt, i : 22, 23. 

Where had the prophet said Christ should be born ? 

But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of 
Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Is- 
rael." Micah 5 : 2. 

Where was Christ born ? 

Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea.'''' Matt. 2:1. 

What had been predicted of his ride into Jerusalem ? 

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion ; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem ; behold, 
thy King cometh unto thee ; he is just, and having salvation ; lowly, and rid- 
ing up07i an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." Zech. 9 : 9. 

Was this fulfilled? 

All this was done that it might be fulfilled zvhich was spoken by the prophet, 
saying. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, 
meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass." Matt. 21 : 1-9. 

Did the believers of these and other evidences of his Messiahship, 
expect a sign of his second coming ? 

And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, 
saying. Tell us, when shall these things be ? and what shall be the sign of thy 
coming, and of the end of the world ? " Matt. 24 : 3. 

5 [65] 



S\aHS OV lUL T\HLS. 67 



9. How does Luke record our Saviour's answer to this query ? 
" And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars ; and upon 
the earth distress of nations, with perplexity ; the sea and the waves roaring ; 
men's hearts faihng them for fear, and for looking after those things which 
are coming on the earth." Luke 21 : 25, 26. 

10. What is said of these signs by an Old Testament prophet ? 

"And I will show wonders in the heavens and iji the earth, blood, and fire, and 
pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into 
blood, before the great and the terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2 : 30, 31. 

11. Have the sun and moon been darkened in fulfillment of these pre- 

dictions ? — They have, as stated in the following — 
Notes. — " But especially I mention that wonderful darkness on the 19th of May 
inst. [1780]. Then, as in our text, the sun was darkened ; such a darkness 
as probably was never known before since the crucifixion of our Lord. People 
left their work in the house and in the field. Travelers stopped ; schools broke 
up at eleven o'clock ; people lighted candles at noonday ; and the fire shone 
as at night. Some people, I have been told, were in dismay, and thought 
whether the day of judgment was not drawing on. A great part of the fol- 
lowing night, also, was singularly dark. The moon, though in the full, gave 
no light, as in our text." — From a manuscript sermon by Rev. Elam Potter, 
delivered May 28, lySo. 

"The 19th of May, 1780, was a remarkably dark day. Candles were 
lighted in many houses. The birds were silent, and disappeared. The fowls 
retired to roost. It was the general opinion that the day of judgment was at 
hand. The Legislature of Connecticut was in session at Hartford, but being 
unable to transact business, adjourned." — Pres. Dxvight, in Conn. Historical 
Collections. 

" My father and mother, who were pious, thought the day of judgment 
was near. They sat up that night, during the latter part of which they said 
the darkness disappeared, and then the sky seemed as usual, but the moon, 
lohich was at its full, had the appearance of blood.'''' — Milo Bostwick. 

Herschel, the great astronomer, says: "The dark day in Northern 
America was one of those wonderful phenomena of nature which will always 
be read with interest, but which philosophy is at a loss to explain." 

[2. Has there been a display of falling stars that would meet the 
specifications predicted ? 
The celebrated astronomer and meteorologist, Prof. Olmstead, of Yale College, 
says : "Those who were so fortunate as to witness the exhibition of shooting 
stars on the morning of Nov. 13, 1833, probably saw the greatest display of 
celestial fire-works that has ever been since the creation of the world, or at 
least within the annals covered by the pages of history, . . . The extent of 
the shower of 1833 was such as to cover no inconsiderable part of the earth's 
surface. . . . This is no longer to be regarded as a terrestrial, but as a 
celestial, phenomenon ; and shooting stars are now to be no more viewed as 
casual productions of the upper regions of the atmosphere, but as visitants 
from other worlds, or from the planetary voids." See reading on "Our 
Lord's Great Prophecy," p. 35. 



68 ^\^LL V^LK\)\UGS, 



13. What may be said with reference to the late unusual ocean 

tempests ? 

Burnet, in his "Sacred Theory of the Earth," remarks: "Let us then proceed 
in our explication of this sign, the roaring sea and waves, applying it to the 
end of the world. I do not look upon this ominous noise of the sea as the 
effect of a tempest ; for then it would not strike such terror into the inhabit- 
ants of the earth, nor make them apprehensive of some great evil coming upon 
the world, as this will do. What proceeds from visible causes, and such as 
may happen in a common course of nature, does not so much amaze or 
affright us." 

The British Vice-Consul at Arica, Peru, thus describes a tidal wave of which he 
was an eye-witness : " What a sight ! I saw all the vessels in the bay carried 
out irresistibly to sea ; anchors and chains were as pack-thread. In a few 
minutes the great outward current stopped, stemmed by a mighty rising wave, 
I should judge about fifty feet [15.25-]- meters] high, which came in with an 
aivful rush, carrying everything before it in its terrible majesty, bringing 
the shipping with it, sometimes turning in circles, as if striving to elude their 
fate." 

Note. — These tidal waves, with the cyclones and tornadoes, have become fear- 
fully frequent of late years, especially in sections where such things were 
never before known. And fear has seized the dwellers of the earth because 
of them. In the Western States of North America, especially, it is very com- 
mon for householders to have caves close by their dwellings, so that when 
peculiarly shaped black clouds, that indicate a cyclone or tornado, appear, 
they may fly for safety to these places of refuge. 

14. What other sign is to indicate the time of the end ? 

" But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, even to the time of the 
end : many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.'''' Dan. 
12:4. 
Notes. — The increase of knowledge referred to in this text evidently means, 
primarily, religious knowledge ; but it covers scientific knowledge also. 
Since 1799 there have been five great Bible and tract societies organized ; 
namely, the London Religious Tract Society, the British and Foreign Bible 
Society, the American Bible Society, the American Tract Society, and the 
International Tract Society. From these have gone forth to the world nearly 
200,000,000 Bibles, and countless pages of tracts, disseminating knowledge 
upon the truths of salvation. Besides these, millions of religious papers are 
being circulated in the various countries of the earth. This has all been ac- 
complished in the nineteenth century. 

"Few phenomena are more remarkable, yet few have been less re- 
marked, than the degree to which material civilization — the progress of 
mankind in all those contrivances which oil the wheels and promote the 
comfort of daily life — has been concentrated in the last half century. It is 
not too much to say that in these respects, more has been done, richer and 
more prolific discoveries have been made, grander achievements have been 
realized, in the course of the fifty years of our lifetime, than in all the previ- 



ous lifetime of the race, since states, nations, and politics, such as history 
makes us acquainted with, have had their being." — London Spectator. 

*' Never was there such activity of invention within the history of mankind 
as at the present day." — Phrenological Journal, April, iSyi. 

"There are some problems we have hitherto deemed impossible ; but are 
the mysteries of even the most improbable of them more subtle to grasp than 
that of the ocean cable or that of the phonograph or telephone ? We talk by 
cable with an ocean rolling between ; we speak with our voices to friends a hun- 
dred miles or more from where we articulate before the microphone. Under 
the blazing sun of July we produce ice by chemical means, rivaling the most 
solid and crystalline production of nature. Our surgeons graft the skin from 
one person's arm to the face of another, and it adheres, and becomes an 
integral portion of the body. We make a mile of white printing-paper, and 
send it on a spool that a perfect printing-press unwinds and prints, and de- 
livers to you, folded and counted, many thousand per hour. Of a verity, this 
is the age of invention, nor has the world reached a stopping-place yet." — 
Scientific American. 

15. What is predicted of the moral condition of the world in the last 
days ? 

" This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be 
lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, . . . lovers 
of pleasures more than lovers of God ; having a form of godliness, but deny- 
ing the power thereof.'''' 2 Tim. 3 : 1-5. 

Notes. — Rev. T. De Witt Talmage said not long ago: "I simply state a fact 
when I say that in many places the church is surrendering, and the world is 
conquering. Where there is one man brought into the kingdom of God 
through Christian instrumentality, there are ten men dragged down by dissi- 
pation. . . . There is a mighty host in the Christian church, positively profes- 
sing Christianity, who do not believe in the Bible, out and out, in and in, from 
the first word of the first verse of the first chapter of the book of Genesis, down 
to the last word of the last verse of the last chapter of the book of the Reve- 
lation. And when, a few Sabbaths ago, I stood in this pulpit and said, ' I 
fear that some of this audience will be lost for the rejection of Christ,' why, 
there were four or five of the daily papers that threw up their hands in sur- 
prise at it. Oh ! we have magnificent church machinery in this country ; we 
have sixty thousand American ministers ; we have costly music ; we have 
great Sunday-schools ; and yet I give you the appalling statistics that in the 
last twenty-five years, laying aside last year, the statistics of which I have not 
yet seen, — within the last twenty-five years the churches of God in this coun- 
try have averaged less than tzvo conversions a year each. There has been an 
average of four or five deaths in the churches. How soon, at that rate, will 
this world be brought to God ? We gain two ; we lose four. Eternal God ! 
what will this come to ? " 

Spurgeon says: "Reflecting the other day upon the sad state of the 
churches at the present moment, I was led to look back to apostolic times, 
and to consider wherein the preaching of the present day differed from that 
of the apostles." 



70 S\GHS OV -WAL 1\^^S. 

i6. How will the message of the Lord's coming be generally treated? 

" Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their 
own lusts, and saying. Where is the pro77iise of his coming ? for since the 
fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the 
creation." 2 Peter 3 : 3, 4. 

17. What will God's faithful servants be doing at this time ? 

"Who THEN is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over 
his household, to give them meat in due season ? " Matt. 24 : 45. 
Note. — The "meat in due season" here spoken of can refer to nothing else 
than a proclamation of the signs which indicate the near approach of the 
Lord. The preaching of these is evidently what causes scoffers mockingly to 
ask. Where is the promise of his coming ? 

18. What are all admonished to do when these signs have appeared? 

" Therefore be ye also ready ; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man 
cometh." Matt. 24 : 44. 

19. What will be done to those evil ones who say in their hearts that 

the Lord delays his coming ? 

"The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and 
in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint 
him his portion with the hypocrites : there shall be weeping and gnashing of 
teeth." Matt. 24 : 50, 51. 



gVO^E know not the hour of the Master's appearing, 
^^<§ Yet signs all foretell that the moment is nearihg 
When he shall return, — 't is a promise most cheering, — 
But we know not the hour. 

There's light for the wise who are seeking salvation, 
There's truth in the book of the Lord's revelation, 
Each prophecy points to the great consummation, — 
But we know not the hour. 

We'll watch and we'll pray, with our lamps trimmed and burning, 
We'll work and we'll wait till the Master's returning. 
We'll sing and rejoice, every omen discerning, — 
But we know not the hour. 








7Vlcir»nei^ of G^^^st's Qoming. 

HAT promise is made to those who look for the appearing 
of Christ ? 

" So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many ; and unto them that look 
for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.'''' Heb. 
9:28. 

2. How many will receive a reward when he comes? 

" For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels ; and 
then he shall reward every man according to his works.'''' Matt. 16 : 27. It is 
a time of general reward. 

3. Did the disciples think that death would be the second coming of 

Christ ? 

" Peter seeing him [John] saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do ? Jesus 
saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee ? follow 
thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disci- 
ple should not die : yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die ; but. If I 
will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee ? " John 21 : 21-23. That 
is, from this saying they gathered the idea that because it was intimated to be 
possible for John to tarry till Christ comes, he would never die. Therefore it 
is certain that they regarded death and the coming of Christ as separate events. 

4. If death is not the coming of Christ, how will he come ? 

" And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up ; and 
a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly 

[71] 




HE "SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER. 



toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white 
apparel ; which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into 
heaven ? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so 
come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.'''' Acts I : 9-1 1 ; Rev. 
14: 14. 

5. How many will behold him when he comes ? 

" Behold, he cometh with clouds ; and every eye shall see ///;//, and they also which 
pierced him." Rev. 1:7. 

6. What wonderful demonstration will accompany the Lord's coming? 

"The Lord himself shall descend from heaven zuith a shozct, zuith the voice of the 
archangel, and zuith the trump of God.'''' I Thess. 4 : 16. The Lord himself, 
not some other, shall descend. 

7. What will then take place ? 

"We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling 
of an eye, at the last trump ; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall 
be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." I Cor. 15:51, 52; 
I Thess. 4: 16, 17. 

8. Have not the martyrs of old gone to their reward ? 

"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the 
promise, God having provided some better thing for us, that they zvithout 21s 
sJiould not be made perfect.''^ Heb. 1 1 : 39, 40. 

9. When were the disciples to be recompensed ? 

" For thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."" Luke 14 : 14. 

10. How is this to be brought about? 

" If T go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto my- 
sef John 14: 3. 

11. What Avas Enoch's belief about this event? 

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying. Behold, 
the Lord cometh zjoith ten thousand of his saints, to execute Judgmeitt tipon all.'''' 
Jude 14, 15. 

12. What was Job's hope when in the depths of affliction ? 

"For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day 
upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in 
my flesh shall I see God ; zvhoni I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall 
behold, and not another." Job 19 : 25-27. 

13. How did David express himself on this point? 

" For he cometh, for he cometh to judge the earth ; he shall judge the world with 
righteousness, and the people with his truth." Ps. 96 : 13. 

14. Did Daniel teach this same sentiment ? 

"And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the 
children of thy people ; . . . and at that time thy people shall be delivered, 
every one that shall be found written in the book." Dan. 12 : i. 



74 ^NUU^R OV CV\R\S1"S COV^\HG. 

15. In what splendor will the Saviour come? 

" For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of 
man be ashamed, when he shall come m his ozvn glory, and in his Father'' s, 
and of the holy angels.''' Luke 9 : 26. 

16. When Christ, at the transfiguration, represented his future glory, 

how did he appear ? 

"And was transfigured before them ; and Jiis face did shine as the sun, and his 
raiment was white as the light.''' Matt. 17:2. 

17. What is the appearance of an angel? 

"His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and 
his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished 
brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude." Dan. 10 : 6. 

18. What is the appearance of the glory of God himself? 

"And from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the ap- 
pearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of 
the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the 
brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory 
of the Lord.''' Eze. I : 27, 28. If Christ comes shining in the accumulated 
glory of himself and his Father, and surrounded with ten thousand times ten 
thousand and thousands of thousands of ineffably bright angels, he will indeed 
be "wrapped in a blaze of boundless glory." 

19. For what was Paul waiting when in his Roman dungeon ? 

"Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, 
the righteous judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but unto 
all them also that love his appearing." 2 Tim. 4 : 8. 

20. How will the Saviour be seen of those who are finally permitted to 

behold him ? 

" But we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see 
him as he is." I John 3:2. 

21. What description does the beloved John give of his appearance? 

" His eyes were as a flame of fire ; and his feet like unto fine brass, as if they 
burned in a furnace ; and his voice as the sound of many waters. . . , And 
his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength." Rev. i : 14-16. 

22. When he shall have gathered together his elect (Matt. 24:31), 

if we are among them, what shall we hear from the Saviour ? 

"Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my 
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the 
world." Matt. 25 134. 





^be Judgment. 

OW many must meet the test of the judgment? 

"I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked.'''' 
Eccl. 3 : 17. 

2. Will any besides the human family be judged ? 

" And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he 
hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the 
great day." Jude 6. Three classes, then, will be judged : the righteous, 
the wicked, and the fallen angels. 

3. With which class will the judgment begin? — With the righteous. 

"For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God : and if it 
first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of 
God ?" I Peter 4 : 17. 

4. Out of what will they be judged ? 

"And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were 
opened ; and another book was opened, which is the book of life ; and the 
dead were judged out of those things which were written ijz the books, accord- 
ing to their works.'''' Rev. 20 : 12, 
Note. — As soon as a person accepts Christ, his name is entered in the Lamb's 
book of life, and he is then a candidate for eternal life ; but his works, 
whether good or evil, are recorded in the books of remembrance. So when 
we say that the judgment begins with the righteous, — the "house of God," 
— we understand that it begins with those who, when living, professed to be 
Christ's followers. 

[75] 



76 ' ^\^\.L HLFk\)\HGS. 



. 5. Will there be a resurrection of all the dead ? 

"For the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his 
voice, and shall come forth ; they that have done good, unto the resurrection 
of life ; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." 
John 5 : 28, 29 ; Acts 24 : 15. 

6. What first occurs when the voice of Christ is heard ? 

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first.'''' I Thess. 4 : 16. 

7. In what condition are the saints when raised from the dead? 

" For the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible^ and we 
shall be changed." I Cor. 15 : 52. They are not first raised, and afterward 
made immortal ; but they are immortal when they rise. 

8. Are the righteous and the wicked raised together ? 

" And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for 
the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, 
neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands ; and they 
lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived 
not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrec- 
tion." Rev. 20 : 4, 5. 

9. Why have these been separated from the others before the voice 

of Christ is heard ? 

" But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrec- 
tion from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage." Luke 20 : 35. 
Note. — The fact that the saints are raised incorruptible, and that they are 
separated from, and raised one thousand years before, the wicked, shows that 
the judgment, which decides who will be saved and who lost, takes place 
before the resurrection, and not after it ; for in the latter case, all would be 
raised together, and the separation would take place afterward. It is plain, 
then, that those who come up in the first resurrection xawsX previously be " ac- 
counted worthy" of that honor. 

10. What takes place with the //z'/;?^ righteous at the second advent? 

" Behold, I show you a mystery : We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be chattged, 
in a moment, in the tzuinkling of an eye, at the last trump.'''' I Cor. 15 :5l, 
52 ; I Thess. 4 : 16, 17. 

11. Why are these separated from among the living wicked, and thus 

changed ? 

" Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape 
all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.'''' 
Luke 21 :36. 

12. How far will this investigation of cases extend ? 

"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether 
it be good, or whether it be evil." Feci. 12:14; Matt. 12 : 36, 37. 



■\H^ ^V^\^GVJ\LH'\ . 77 



13. When and where are the open and the secret things recorded ? ■ 

"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another ; and the Lord heark- 
ened^ and heard \\., and a book of remembraizce zvas ivritten before hivi for them 
that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name." Mai. 3:16; 
Rev. 20 : 12. 

14. By whom is this record made? 

" Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin ; neither say thou before the angel, 
that it was an error ; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy 
the work of thine hands ? " Eccl. 5:6; Matt. 18 : 10. 

15. Who opens the judgment, and presides over it? 

"I beheld till the thrones were cast down [placed. Rev. Ver.], a)id the Ancient of 
days did sit. ... A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him ; 
thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thou- 
sand stood before him; the judgment was set, and the books were opened.'" 
Dan. 7 : 9, ^10. 

16. Who minister to the Lord, and assist in the judgment? 

" Thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand 
stood before him." Dan. 7 : 10. " And I beheld, and / heard the voice of 
many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders ; and the 
number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thou- 
sands." Rev. 5:11. 

17. Who else is brought before the Father at this time ? 

"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with 
the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him 
near before him.'''' Dan. 7 : 13. 

18. What is Christ's special work there before the Father and his 

angels ? 

" He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment ; and I will not 
blot out his name out of the book of life, but / zvill confess his name before 
my Father, and before his angels.'''' Rev. 3:5. 
Note. — We have learned that during this judgment scene the dead are still in 
their graves. The record of each one's life, however, is in the books in 
heaven, and by that record their characters are well known. These records 
were made by the angels, who are there to present them as the names of those 
who have professed to be Christ's followers are called from the book of life. 
Rev. 20:12. Christ is also there to appear in behalf of those who have 
chosen him as their advocate. I John 2:1. He presents his blood, as he 
appeals for their sins to be blotted from the books of remembrance. Mai. 3:16. 
Those sins of which they had repented were forgiven when they confessed 
them (Acts 3 : 19-21) ; but they could not be blotted out until by a final ex- 
amination of their life record it should be known that they had repented of 
all their sins, and were final overcomers. If this is the case, then their names 
are confessed in the judgment. But if it is seen that though running well for 
a time (Gal. 5 : 7), they did not overcome, then instead of confessing their 



78 B\BVL R^K\^\HGS. 



names before the Father and his angels, and blotting out their sins, Christ 
will blot out their names from the book of life. Rev. 3:5. As the place of 
judgment is in heaven, where, the throne of God is, and as Christ is present in 
person, it conclusively follows that the work of judgment is also in heaven. 
All are judged by the record of their lives, and thus answer for the deeds done 
in the body. It is easy to see that such a work will not only decide forever 
the cases of the dead, but will also close the probation of all who are living, 
after which Christ will come to take to himself those who are found to be 
loyal to him. 

19. Where will Christ receive his kingdom? 

"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, 
nations, and languages, should serve him." Dan. 7 : 14 ; Luke 19 : 12, 15 ; 
Rev. II : 15. 

20. When he comes to earth, what title will he bear ? 

" And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and 
Lord of lords." Rev. 19 : 16. 

2 1. What will be his mission to the earth? 

" For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels ; and 
then he shall reward every man according to his works.'''' Matt. 16 : 27 ; Rev, 
22 : 12. 

22. Where will the Saviour take his people? 

"In my Father'' s house are many mansions : if it were not so, I would have told 
you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for 
you, I will co?ne again, and receive you unto myself ; that where I am, there 
ye may be also." John 14 : 2, 3. 

23. During the one thousand years that intervene between the two res- 

urrections, what will the saints do ? 

" And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment zvas given unto them : 
and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and 
for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his im- 
age, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands ; 
and they lived and reigned [in the sense of judging] with Christ a thousand 
years.'''' Rev. 20 : 4. 

24. Who will thus be judged by the saints ? 

"Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world [the wicked] ? and if the 
world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters ? 
Know ye not that we shall judge angels ? hoiu much more things that pertain 
to this life.''' I Cor. 6 : 2, 3 ; Dan. 7 : 21, 22. 
Note. — As the names of the wicked were not found in the book of life at the 
time of the investigative judgment, before the second coming of Christ, it was 
known that they were not "worthy " of eternal life ; but the degree of punish- 
ment that they should receive is left for Christ and his saints to decide during 
the one thousand years before the second resurrection. The wicked angels, 
also, are to be judged at this time, in the same manner. 



"\v\L ^v)\^GVJ\Lni . 79 



25. When will the saints judge the world ? 

" Th.QV&iore. Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come/'' I Cor. 4:5. 

26. How will the decisions of the saints be executed? 

" And out of his [Christ's] mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite 
the nations ; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron : and he treadeth the 
wine-press of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God." Rev. 19 : 15. 

27. Why is the execution of the judgment thus given to Christ? 

" For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in 
himself ; and hath given hfm authority to execute judgment also, because he 
is the Son of man." John 5 : 26, 27. 

28. How will the opening of the investigative judgment be made 

known to the world ? 

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gos- 
pel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kin- 
dred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice. Fear God, and give 
glory to hijn ; for the hour of his judgment is come.'''' Rev. 14 : 6, 7. 
Note. — It is seen that there are two phases of the judgment brought to view in 
the Scriptures, — the investigative and the executive. The investigative judg- 
ment takes place in heaven before Christ comes, in order to ascertain who are 
worthy to be raised in the first resurrection, at his coming, and who among 
the living are "accounted worthy" to be changed in the " twinkling of an 
eye," at the sounding of the last trump. It is necessary, therefore, for the 
investigative judgment to take place before the second advent, as there will 
be no opportunity for such a work to be done between the coming of Christ 
and the raising of the righteous dead, who are to be clothed with immortality 
in the act of rising from the grave. The executive judgment on the wicked 
occurs after the extent of punishment which they are to receive has been de- 
cided by the saints who were raised to sit on thrones of judgment (Rev. 20 : 
4, 5) during the thousand years. I Cor. 6 : 1-3. The investigative judgment 
is that which is announced to the world by the angel's message of Rev. 14 : 
6, 7. For the time when the announcement of this message is due to the 
world, see reading on "The First Angel's Message," p. 98. 



n^HOU Judge of quick and dead, 
J^ Before whose bar severe. 
With holy joy or guilty dread. 

We all shall soon appear, — 
Our cautioned souls prepare 

For that tremendous day 
And fill us now with watchful care, 

And stir us up to pray. 




Not all the outward forms on eartli, 
Nor rites that God has giveu, 

Nor ■will of man, nor blood, nor birt;i 
Can raise a soul to heaven. 



The sovereign will of God alone, 
Creates us heirs of grace , 

Born in the image of his Son, 
A new, pecul 




^be 5(^tonement in the 0ld T^estament. 

HAT prominent figure was connected with the first covenant ? 

"Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a 
worldly sanctuary.'''' Heb. 9:1. 

At whose command was this sanctuary built ? 

^'- And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, that 
they bring me an offering ; . . . and let them make me a sanctuary ; that 
I may dwell among them." Ex. 25 : 1-8. 

3. Did Moses himself plan the sanctuary ? 

^^ According to all that I show thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pat- 
tern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it." Verse 9 ; 
Acts 7 : 44 ; Heb. 8 : 5. 

4. Of what was the frame-work of the building formed ? 

"And thou shalt make boards for the tabernacle of shittim wood standing up.''^ 
Ex. 26 : 15. 

5. With what were the boards overlaid? 

"And thou shalt overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for 
places for the bars ; and thou shalt overlay the bars with gold." Verse 29. 

6. Of what materials were the coverings of the sanctuary made ? 

"Moreover thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen, 
and blue, and purple, and scarlet : with cherubim of cunning work shalt thou 
6 [81] 



82 ^\^V.^ RLk\i\HGS. 



make them." "And thou shalt make curtains of goat s^ hair to be a cover- 
ing u^on the tabernacle; eleven curtains shalt thou make." "And thou 
shalt make a covering for the tent of rams'' skins dyed red, and a covering 
above of badgers^ skins.''^ Verses i, 7, 14. 

7. How many apartments had the sanctuary ? 

"And the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.'' ^ 
Verse 33. 
Note. — The sanctuary, or tabernacle, was about forty-five feet (13.7-}- meters) 
long by fifteen feet (4.564- meters) wide, and divided into two parts, — the 
outer apartment, or "holy place," being two thirds of the whole building, 
and the inner apartment, or "most holy place," one third. Three sides of 
the building were of upright boards overlaid with gold, but the east, or front 
end, consisted of a curtain, which was put aside to form an entrance. 

8. What was in the first apartment ? 

" For there was a tabernacle made ; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the 
table, and the showbread ; which is called the sanctuary." Heb. 9 : 2. 

9. What Other article was in the first apartment ? 

" And he put the golden altar in the tent of the congregation before the vail." Ex. 
40 : 26 ; 30 : 1-6. 

10. What was contained in the second apartment, or the most holy 

place ? 

"And after the second vail, the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all; 
which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about 
with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that 
budded, and the tables of the covenant." Heb. 9:3, 4 ; Ex. 40 : 20, 21. 

11. By what name was the cover of the ark known ? 

" And thou shalt /z^/ tJie mercy-seat above upon the ark ; and in the ark thou shalt 
put the testimony that I shall give thee." Ex. 25 : 21. 

12. Where was God, by the symbol of his presence, to meet with Is- 

rael's high priest? 

"And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the 
mercy-seat, from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the 
testimony." Verse 22. 

13. What was in the ark, under the mercy-seat? 

' ' And he wrote on the tables, according to the first writing, the ten co7nmand?nents. 
. . . And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables 
in the ark which I had made." Deut. 10 : 4, 5. 

14. When this building was completed, for what purpose was it used ? 

and who daily officiated in the first apartment ? 

"Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests zuent always into the first 
tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.^'' Heb. 9 : 6. 



15. Who only was allowed in the second apartment? how often? and 

for what purpose ? 

" But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, 
which he offered for himself, and/br the errors of the peopled Verse 7. 
Note. — The round of service in the earthly sanctuary was God's service. It 
had to do with the sins of the people ; not that the blood offered there could 
take away their sins, for the Bible says expressly (Heb. 10 : 4) that it could 
not do so. It could, however, show their faith in the efficacy of Christ's 
blood yet to be spilled, and to which the sanctuary work constantly directed 
their minds. The work done there was a type, or shadow, of Christ's atoning 
work, and, as such, carries with it a significance that cannot be overestimated. 
With this thought in view, we proceed to learn the process by which, in a 
figure only, their sins were put away from them. 

16. How does one commit sin ? 

"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the lazu ; for sin is the transgression 
of the law." i John 3 : 4. 

17. And what is the wages of sin ? 

" The wages of sin is death.'''' Rom. 6 : 23. 
Note. — Then if a man sinned in Israel, he violated one of the ten command- 
ments that were in the ark, and under the mercy-seat of God. These com- 
mandments were the pillars of God's government ; to violate one of them was 
to rebel against God's government, and so become subject to death. But 
there was a mercy-s,Q.2i\. reared above these stern arbiters of God's justice. In 
the dispensation of his mercy, God grants the sinner the privilege of bringing 
a substitute, to meet the demands of the law. 

18. When one of the common people thus sinned, what must he then 

do, to save his life ? 

"And if anyone of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth 
somewhat against any of the commandments of the Lord, . . . then he 
shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his 
sin which he hath sinned. And he shall lay his hand upon the head of the 
sin-offering, and slay the sin-offering in the place of the burnt-offering." 
Lev. 4 : 27-29. 

19. What was done with the blood? 

"And the priest shall take of the blood thereof with his finger, and put it upon 
the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and shall pour out all the blood thereof 
at the bottom of the altar. ''^ Verse 30. 

20. How was the body of the sin-offering to be disposed of? 

"This is the law of the sin-offering : In the place where the burnt-offering is killed 
shall the sin-offering be killed before the Lord ; it is most holy. The priest 
that offereth it for sin sliall eat it ; in the holy place shall it he eaten.'''' 
Lev. 6 : 25, 26. 



Note. — After a person discovered his sin by the law which demanded the death 
of the transgressor, he first brought his offering ; then he confessed his sin 
while laying his hands on the head of the victim, thus transferring (in a figure) 
his sin to the victim ; the victim was next slain, and some of its blood was put 
on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering ; the priest took the flesh into the 
holy place, and there ate it. This was the case with the sin-offering of the 
common people ; but if a priest or the whole congregation had sinned, the 
victim was burned without the camp, and the blood was taken into the sanct- 
uary. In this way sins were transferred from the sinner into the sanctuary, 
there to await further disposal. 

21. After the accumulation of the sins of the year in this way, what 

took place on the tenth day of the seventh month ? 

"And this shall be a statute forever unto you : that in the seventh month, on the 
tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls ; . . . for on that day shall 
the priest make an atoneinent for you, to cleanse you, that ye may l;e clean 
from all your sins before the Lord." Lev. i6 : 29, 30. It seems by this that 
the atonement was not completed till the end of the ceremonial year. Atone- 
ment signifies " expiation ; satisfaction or reparation made by giving an equiv- 
alent for an injury." — Webster. 

22. After making an offering for himself, what did the high priest next 

do? 

"And he shall take the two goats, and present them before the Lord at the door 
of the tabernacle of the congregation. And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two 
goats, one lot for the Lord, and the other lot for the scape-goat." Lev. 
16:7,8. 

23. What was done with the goat upon which the Lord's lot fell ? 

"Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring 
his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of 
the bullock, and sprinkle it tcpon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat." 
Verse 15. 



J4. Why was it necessary to make this atonement ? 



" And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the zincleanness of 
the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins ; 
and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth 
among them in the midst of their uncleanness," Verse 16. See also 
verses 18, 19. 

Note. ■ — As already seen, sins were conveyed into the sanctuary during the year 
by the blood and the flesh of the personal sin-offerings, which were offered 
daily at the door of the tabernacle. Here they remained until the day of 
atonement, when the high priest went into the most holy place with the 
blood of the goat on which the Lord's lot fell ; and bearing the sins of the 
year in before the mercy-seat, he there atoned for them before God, and so 
cleansed the sanctuary, or as the Dutch and German translations of Eze, 45 ; 
18 render it, " unsinned " the sanctuary. 




[86] THE SCAPE-GOAT IN THE WILDERNESS. 



25. After the high priest came out of the sanctuary with the sins still 

on him, having atoned for them in the most holy place, what 
did he next do ? 

" And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle 
of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat ; and Aaron 
shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess over him 
all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all 
their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send him away 
by the hand of a fit man into the wilderness." Lev. 16 : 20, 21. 

26. Then who bore the sins of the people, after the high priest had 

put them off, and the camp was cleansed from them ? 

" And the goat shall bear upon him, all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited ; 
and he shall let go the goat in the wilderness." Verse 22. 
Note. — In this way the sins of Israel were disposed of each year. It will be 
noticed, however, that the atonement work of that dispensation only availed 
for those whose sins had been confessed and conveyed unto the sanctuary by 
the sacrifice of the victims offered daily at the door of the tabernacle. If any 
one chose to keep his sins upon himself, he received no atonement, but instead, 
was cut off from God's people at the close of that day's work ; though the 
privilege of making an offering was extended to the people, even while the 
high priest was engaged in the closing exercises of the year. See Num. 29 : 
7-II, and the work entitled, "The Sanctuary and 2300 Days," pp. 289-297. 
It is clear, then, that no atonement can be made for a person before he con- 
fesses his sins. This subject is further discussed in the following reading. 



fORD, we are vile, and full of sin, 
We 're born unholy and unclean ; 
Sprung from the man whose guilty fall 
Corrupts his race, and taints us all. 

Soon as we draw our infant breath 
The seeds of sin grow up for death ; 
Thy law demands a perfect heart. 
But we 're defiled in every part. 

Nor bleeding bird, nor bleeding beast, 
Nor hyssop branch, nor earthly priest. 
Nor running brook, nor flood, nor sea. 
Can wash the dismal stain away. 

Jesus, thy blood, thy blood alone. 
Hath power sufficient to atone ; 
Thy blood can make us white as snow ; 
No other tide can cleanse us so. 





^be Atonement in tfie Yle^^> Testament. 

'*' T the death of Christ, what miracle signified that the priestly 
work of the earthly sanctuary was finished ? 

"Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 
And, behold, ^/le vail of the temple was rent m twain from the top to the bot- 
tom.^'' Matt. 27 : 50, 51. That is, the vail that separated between the holy 
and most holy places, was rent in twain. This showed that the earthly place 
of atonement was no longer sacred, but a common place, open to the gaze 
of all. 

. Where has the work of the high priest been carried on since the 
death of Christ ? 

* ' Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum : We have such a High 
Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.'''' 
Heb. 8:1. 

. Who is this high priest ? 

"But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more 
perfect tabernacle, not made with hands." Heb. 9:11. 

. Who erected this heavenly tabernacle, of which Christ is the 
minister? 

"A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, 
and not man.'''' Heb. 8 : 2. 

. Could Christ be a priest while he was on earth, and before the old 
priesthood ceased ? 
[88] 



"For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests 
that offer gifts according to the law." Verse 4. 

6. What did the service of the earthly priests signify ? 

"There are priests that offer gifts according to the law ; who serve unto the exam- 
ple and shadow of heavenly things.'''' Verses 4,' 5. 

7. What was the earthly sanctuary designed to be? 

"The way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tab- 
ernacle was yet standing; which was a figure for the tijne then present.'''' 
Heb. 9:8, 9. 
Note. — From the foregoing scriptures we learn that the earthly sanctuary was a 
" figure " of another sanctuary in heaven, of which our Lord is the minister, 
and that the work of the earthly priest was a " shadow " of Christ's work as 
high priest. If the earthly sanctuary and its work were but a shadow, it is 
certain that the heavenly sanctuary and its work are just as real as were the 
earthly. 

8. Are there different apartments of the heavenly sanctuary in which 

Christ ministers ? 

" For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the fig- 
ures of the true.'''' Heb. 9 : 24. 

9. Does the heavenly sanctuary contain an ark of the testament 

(covenant) ? 

" And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple 
the ark of his testament.^'' Rev. 11 : 19. 

Note. — The priestly work in the earthly sanctuary foreshadowed the work in 
the heavenly sanctuary. In the earthly, the atonement was performed on the 
last day of the ceremonial year. All who did not then have their sins atoned 
for, were put to death, and the camp was cleansed from sin. The atonement 
day was virtually a day of judgment for Israel, as at that time sin and sinners 
were separated from the camp, and the people whose sins had been atoned 
for were free from sin, and could enter upon the services of the new year clean 
in the sight of God. This work was kept up year after year. In the heav- 
enly, the sacrifice is offered but once, and but one atonement can be made, 
which must take place at the time assigned of God for it to occur. And when 
the great atonement has been made, God's people will be forever free from 
sin, and sinners will have been forever banished from the universe. This will 
be, as in the type, a day of judgment, with this difference : that was a tem- 
poral and shadowy judgment, this will be the final and eternal judgment. 

10. The earthly sanctuary was cleansed by a high priest. Is it neces- 
sary for the heavenly sanctuary also to come to a time of 
cleansing, or purifying ? 

" It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be 
purtfied with these ; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices 
than these.'''' Heb. 9 : 23. 



90 ^\^L^ HLK\)\UGkS, 



11. From what will it be cleansed, or purified? 

"Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the 
holy place every year with blood of others ; for then must he often have suf- 
fered since the foundation of the world : but now once in the end of the 
world hath he appeared to put azvay sin by the sacrifice of himself." Verses 
25, 26. For the counterpart of this, in the type, see Lev. t6 : 30. 

12. When the earthly high priest came out to the people after making 

the atonement, how did he transfer the sins of the people from 
himself? 

"And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon the head of the live goat, and confess 
over him all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgres- 
sions in all their sins, putting them upon the head of the goat.'''' Lev. 16 : 21. 

13. How will it be when Christ has finished the atonement for his peo- 

ple ? 

' ' So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many ; and unto them that look for 
him shall he appear the second time without sin U7ito salvation.'''' Heb. 9 : 
28. That is, to those who stand waiting and watching for his appearance, as 
did the people of Israel for their high priest to appear to them, Christ will 
appear to his people ; and at that time he will have laid off upon the head of 
the great scape-goat (Satan) the sins of his people, which have been atoned for. 
Then Satan will bear these sins (as did the typical scape-goat) to an uninhab- 
ited region, — the desolated earth, — while the saints will be enjoying the 
glories of heaven during the one thousand years. 

14. When will the sins of the righteous be blotted out? 

" Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when 
the times of refreshing shall co??ie frof?i the presence of the Lord.'''' Acts 3 : I9. 

15. What immediately follows the blotting out of sins? 

" And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you, whom the 
heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things." Verses 20, 21. 

16. While Christ as high priest is still before the Father, what is given 

him ? 

"One like the Son of man came ... to the Ancient of days, and they brought 
him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a 
kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages should serve him." Dan. 
7:13, 14.' 

17. And when he comes to earth, what is his purpose ? 

" For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first : then we which are alive and remain shall he caught up together with 
them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we 'ever be with 
the Lord." I Thess. 4 : 16, 17. 



i8. But before any are thus raised at Christ's coming, what decision 
must be rendered in their cases ? 

" But they which shall be accounted zvorthy to obtain that world, and the resurrec- 
tion froin the dead.''^ Luke 20 : 35. 
Note. — We see that the type of the old sanctuary is fully met in the work of 
Christ. And as the atonement day of the old dispensation was really a day 
of judgment, so the atonement work of Christ will include an investigation of 
the cases of his people. All who shall be "accounted worthy" to have a 
place in his kingdom will be called to dwell with him when he comes again to 
earth to gather his people. 

19. Is there a specified time for the cleansing of the heavenly sanct- 

uary ? 

"And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall 
the sanctuary be cleansed.'''' Dan. 8 : 14. 

20. How may one know that this does not refer to the earthly sanct- 

uary ? 

" He said unto me. Understand, O son of man : for at the tivie of the end shall be 
the vision." Verse 17. In the time of the end the earthly sanctuary does 
not exist. For explanation of the time here introduced, see the next reading. 



'?:§•<- 



TJLJITH joy we meditate the grace 

Of our High Priest above ; 
His heart is made of tenderness. 
His bosom glows with love. 

Touched with a sympathy within. 
He knows our feeble frame ; 

He knows what sore temptations mean, 
For he hath felt the same. 



He, in the days of feeble flesh, 
Poured out his cries and tears ; 

And in full measure feels afresh 
What every member bears. 

Then let our humble faith address 
His mercy and his power ; 

We shall obtain delivering grace 
In the distressing hour. 



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'^ great prophetic Period. 

'T what time, according to the prophecy of Daniel, was 
the sanctuary to be cleansed ? 

' And he said unto me, ili^o tiuo thousand and three hundred days ; 
then shall the sanctuary be cleansed." Dan. 8 : 14. 

2. Where was Daniel when the vision of this chapter was 
given ? 

" And I saw in a vision ; and it came to pass, when I saw, that 1 7uas at Shushan 
in the palace, which is in the province of Elam ; and I saw in a vision, and 
I was by the river of Ulai.'" Verse 2. 

3. AVhat first appeared to the prophet? 

"Then T lifted up mine eyes, and saw, and, behold, there stood before the river a 
ram 7vhich had tivo horns.'^ Verse 3. 

4. What next appeared upon the scene? 

"And as I was considering, behold, a he-goat came from the west. . . . And he 
came to the ram that had two horns, . . . and smote the ram, and brake 
his two horns." Verses 5-7. 

5. What happened after the prophet heard the time announced for 

the cleansing of the sanctuary ? 
"And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought 
for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearaftce of a 
man.^'' Verse 15. 

6. What command did Daniel hear given to this angel ? 

"And I heard a man's voice between the banks of Ulai, which called and said, 
Gabriel, make this man to understand the vision."" Verse 16. 

7. What were the first words that the angel then uttered before the 

prophet? 

"I was afraid, and fell upon my face : but he said unto me. Understand, O son of 
man ; for at the time of the end shall be the vision.'' Verse 17. That is, 
the complete fulfillment of the vision will come in the time of the end. 

[92] 



8. How did the angel then proceed to fulfill his mission to Daniel ? 
"The ram which thou sawest having two horns are the kings of Media and Persia. 

And the rough goat is the king of Grecia." Verses 20, 21. 

9. What part of the vision did the angel say was to be shut up, and 

why ? 
" And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true : wherefore 
shut thou up the vision ; for it shall be for many days.'''' Verse 26. 
Note. — That part of the vision relating to the " evening morning " (see margin 
of verse 14), was to be shut up for a time, because that was not to be fulfilled 
for "many days." The other portion of it was impending in Daniel's day. 
In fact, the fulfillment of the ram standing by the river, came about in fif- 
teen years after the view was given to the prophet. It was proper to explain 
this part of the vision to Daniel that he might apprise the people of what was 
coming. 

10. What did Daniel say about the vision? 

"And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days ; afterward I rose up, and did 
the king's business ; and I zuas astonished at the vision^ but none understood 
it." Verse 27. 

11. Although Daniel said nothing of his astonishment at what he had 

seen, so that the king's courtiers did not perceive it, what did 
he do ? 
" In the first year of Darius, ... I Daniel understood by books the number of the 
years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he 
would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.'''' Dan. 9 : 1, 2. 
That is, in his anxiety to learn the full meaning of the vision, Daniel had 
searched the sacred books until in the first year of Darius the Median king, 
he had about come to the conclusion that the seventy years' desolation of Jeru- 
salem and the earthly sanctuary in that city would be the fulfillment of the 
vision. 

12. In view of this, what did the prophet do ? 

"And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with 
fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes." Verse 3. 

13. What, in Daniel's prayer, showed that he was still anxious about 

the sanctuary question ? 
"Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, 
and cause thy face to shine upon thy sancttiary that is desolate, for the Lord's 
sake." Verse 17. 

14. How did the Lord regard his petition ? 

" Yea, while I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel whom I had seen in 
the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the 
time of the evening oblation." Verse 21. 

15. What did Gabriel tell Daniel? 

"At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and / am 
come to show thee ; for thou art greatly beloved : therefore understand the 
matter, and consider THE VISION." Verse 23. 




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Note. — "Consider the vision." To consider is "to fix the mind on, with a 
view to a careful examination ; to think on with care ; to ponder ; to study ; 
to meditate on." — Webster. The vision Daniel was to ponder, or study, was 
the same vision referred to in verse 21, the one in which he says Gabriel 
appeared to him ; and that vision was given in chapter 8. 

16. What application did Gabriel proceed to make of the vision? 

" Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish 
the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for 
iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision 
and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy." Verse 24. 
Notes. ^ — Gesenius, in his Hebrew Lexicon, says that the original word here 
translated "determined" means "properly, to cut off ; tropically, to divide ; 
and so to determirie, to decree.'''' 

" Seventy weeks have been cut off upon thy people, and upon thy holy 
city." — Whiting's Translation. 

Dr. Gill, on Dan. 9:24, says: "That is, such a space of time is fixed 
upon ; cut out, as the word signifies." 

" To Finish the Transgression.'''' — The Jews were to fill up the measure 
of their iniquity by rejecting and crucifying the Messiah ; they would then no 
longer be his peculiar people, or host. Read Matt. 21:38-43; 23:32-38; 
27:25. 

" To Make an End of Sins. ^'' — This probably means to make an end of sin- 
offerings, which were to be abolished by the death of Christ. See Dan. 9 : 27 
(cause the sacrifice and oblation to cease) ; read also Heb. 9 : 10. The sacri- 
fice of Christ, in making an end of sin-offering, would also make reconcilia- 
tion for iniquity, since it would satisfy the demands of the broken law for all 
who would seek pardon through it. 

" To Bring in Everlasting Righteousness.''^ — This must mean the right- 
eousness of Christ, — that righteousness by which he was enabled to make an 
atonement for sin, and which, through faith, may be imputed to the penitent 
believer. 

" To Seal up the Vision.'''' — To j'.fa/ sometimes means to fulfill ; to estab- 
lish. See Webster. During the seventy weeks a part of the vision was 
exactly fulfilled, and this establishes and makes sure the fulfillment of the 
whole. 

" To Anoint the Most Holy.^'' — This is supposed to refer to the anointing 
of the heavenly sanctuary, preparatory to opening the services there. 

Seventy weeks are equal to 490 days. These were to be "cut off" from 
the vision Daniel was considering, that is, from the 2300 days. The days in 
this prophecy, uniformly with those of other prophecies, represent years. 
(See reading on " A Remarkable Symbol," p. 29, question 10.) If, then, the 
490 years are "cut off" from the 2300 years, it follows that the 490 years 
begin at the same time as the 2300. 

17. When did the angel say that the seventy weeks (490 years) were 

to commence ? 
"Know therefore and understand, that-/>c;;z the going forth of the commandment 
to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven 
weeks, and threescore and two weeks ; the street shall be built again, and the 
wall, even in troublous times." Verse 25. 



96 B\BLL R^^\^\HG^S. 



Note, — Sixty-nine of the seventy weeks were to reach "unto the Messiah the 
Prince." Messiah is Christ, " the Anointed." Messiah is the Hebrew word, 
and Christ the Greek word, meaning anointed. See margin of John I :4i. 

1 8. How was J&sus anointed ? 

" God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power." Acts 
10:38. 

19. At what time did Jesus receive the special anointing of the Holy 

Spirit ? 

"Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy 
Ghost desce7ided in a bodily shape like a dove tipon hifu, and a voice came from 
heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son." Luke 3 : 21, 22. 

20. What did Jesus say shortly after this ? 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the 
gospel to the poor." Luke 4 : 18 ; Mark 1:15. 
Note. — It is evident that the sixty-nine weeks (483 years) were to reach to the 
baptism of Christ, as that was the time of his anointing by the Holy Spirit. 
John the Baptist began his work in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius. 
Luke 3 : 1-3. Tiberius began to reign conjointly with his father in the year 
12 A. D., two years before his father's death. ("Prideaux's Connection," vol. i, 
p. 246.) The fifteenth year of his reign would therefore be A. D. 27, the time 
when Jesus was anointed, at his baptism. 

2 1. When was a decree made to restore and build Jerusalem? 

" This Ezra went up from Babylon. . . . And there went up some of the chil- 
dren of Israel, and of the priests, and the Levites, and the singers, and the 
porters, and the Nethinim, unto Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes 
the king. And he came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the 
seventh year of the king." Ezra 7 : 6-8. 

Notes. — This Artaxerxes began to reign B. c. 464. (See "Prideaux's Con- 
nection," vol. I, p. 222; "Smith's Comprehensive Dictionary," art. Ar- 
taxerxes.) The seventh year of his reign would be 457 B. c. Reckoning 483 
full years from the first day of 457 B. C, would bring us to the last day of 
A. D. 26. This is demonstrated from the fact that it requires all of the 
twenty-six years A. D., and all oi the 457 years B. c. to make 483 years, which 
may be illustrated by the following diagram : — 

B. C. 457. A. D. 26. 

457 Years. 26 Years. \ A D 27 



It is also manifest by the diagram that if the work of restoring Jerusalem 
did not commence until past the middle of the year 457 B. C. (see Ezra 7 : 8), 
then all the time of the first part of that year not so employed, must be added 
to the last day of A. D. 26, which would bring us to the latter part of A. D. 27, 
the time of Christ's baptism. This "seals up," or makes sure, the prophecy. 



Dr. Adam Clarke says : '■^According to the commandment of the God of 
Israel. He first gave the order, and stirred up the hearts of the following 
Persian kings to second that order : — 

" Of Cyrus. This sovereign gave his orders for the rebuilding of the 
temple about A. M. 3468 [b. c. 536]. 

^^ And Darius. Darius Hystaspes confirmed the above order, A. M. 3485 
[B. C. 519]. 

'■'■ And Artaxerxes. Artaxerxes Longimanus sent Ezra to Judea with new 
privileges, A. M. 3547 [b. c. 457]." — Notes on Ezra 6 : 14. The letter of 
Artaxerxes to Ezra, conferring upon him authority to do this work, is found in 
Ezra 7 : 11-26. 

22. At the close of 483 years, in a. d. 27, one week, or seven years of 

the 490 yet remained. What was to be done in the midst of 
that week ? 

" And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week ; and in the midst of 
the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease.'''' Dan. 9 : 27. 
Note. — As the sixty-nine weeks ended in the fall of A. D. 27, the middle of the 
seventieth week, or the three and a half years, would end in the spring of 
A. D. 31, when Christ was crucified, and by his death caused to cease, or 
brought to an end, the sacrifices and oblations of the earthly sanctuary. 
Three and a half years more (the last part of the seventieth week) would end 
in the autumn of A. D. 34. This brings us to the end of the 490 years which 
were " cut off " from the 2300. There still remain 1810 years, which, if added 
to A. D. 34, take us to A. D. 1844. 

23. And what did the angel say would then take place ? 

" And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days ; then shall 
the sanctuary be cleansed.'''' Dan. 8 : 14. In other words, the great closing 
work of Christ for the world, the atonement, or the investigative judgment, 
will at that time commence. The typical day of atonement for Israel occu- 
pied but one day in a year. This may occupy but a correspondingly short 
time. Already that work has been going on nearly half a century, and must 
soon close. Who is ready to meet its decisions ? 



-^^^^#^ 




TTAS God appointed the day of judgment? 

hi ..Because /.. ka^A appointed a day. in the .vhich ke ^vill judge the ^orld in 
Ij^ righteousness." Acts 17:31- 

2 To whom has this event been made known ? 

..Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but /.. revealeth his secret unto his serv- 
ants the prophets:' Amos 3 : 7- 

3 Whereis the announcement of the judgment made? 

^. Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him ; for the hour of hts 
judgment is come:' Rev. 14 : 7. 

4 What does the angel preach who makes this announcement? 

■ ^ And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having Ihe everlasting; gos- 
pel\o preach nn.o them that dwell on the earth, and to every nat.on. and 
kindred, and tongue, and people." Verse 6. , • j 

NOTES, -"^«,-./ is from an original word meaning 'messenger,' and is used 
sometimes of ministering spirits sent of God to men w.th a -«-g^' '-' - 
in the Old Testament, Gospels, and Acts •, somet.mes of men so sen as n the 
epistles and book of Revelation." - 5. 5. Teaekcrs' Helps to the Study of the 

^'^Asrtf preaching of the gospel is committed to men chosen of God (Gal. 
2 : 7 ; 2 Cor. 5 : .8-20), this angel must represent men sent forth w.th a spe- 
cial message. 
[98] 



5. By what is this angel accompanied before his work is accom- 

plished ? 

"And there foUotved another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen. . . . And the third 
angel followed them, saying with a loud voice. If any man worship the beast 
and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same 
shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." Rev. 14 : 8-10. 

6. What will be the effect of the united work of these three messages? 

"And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that 
sat on the cloud. Thrust in thy sickle, and reap : for the time is co77ie for thee 
to reap ; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.'''' Verse 15. See Matt. 13 : 39. 

7. What takes place in connection with the harvest? 

"And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the 
Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp 
sickle." Verse 14. The truths preached under these three angels, are to 
culminate in the Lord's advent, and the world's harvest. It is, then, clear 
that these messages must all go to one generation, and that generation the last 
one before the close of probation. No great religious movement ordained of 
God is ever sprung upon the world unheralded. See the work of Noah, John 
the Baptist, and others, in confirmation of this. So we may expect that just 
prior to the opening of the judgment announced by this first angel, God will 
have men in all parts of the world calling attention to the important time just 
before them. 

8. What was the appearance of an angel seen by John, as recorded in 

chapter 10 ? 

"And I saw another viighty angel come down from heaven, clothed zvith a cloud : 
and a rainbow was upon his head, and his face was as it were the sun, and his 
feet as pillars of fire." Rev. 10 : I. 

9. What did he hold in his hand ? 

" And he had in his hand a little book open.'''' Verse 2, first part. 

10. And what did the angel do ? 

"And he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, and cried 
with a loud voice, as when a lion roareth." Verses 2, 3. 

11. What was the burden of this message ? 

" And the angel which I saw stand upon the sea and upon the earth lifted up his 
hand to heaven, and sware by him that hveth forever and ever, who created 
heaven, and the things that therein are, and the earth, and the things that 
therein are, and the sea, and the things which are therein, that there should be 
time no longer.'''' Verses 5, 6. 

12. The book in the hand of the angel, from which he proclaimed this 

time message, was said to be "open." When was the only 
sealed book of the Bible, that contained definite time, to be 
opened ? 



100 B\^\.^ R^k\i\HC^S. 



"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the 
end : many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased." Dan. 
12 : 4. Such a message, then, could not go to the world till " the time of the 
end" came; for when it is proclaimed, the Httle book is "open," and in 
the hands of those who are represented by the angel. 

13. What does the prophet Daniel say about the judgment ? 

"■ I beheld till i\vQ thrones were cast down {placed, Rev. Ver.], and the Ancient of 
days did sit, . . . thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand 
times ten thousand stood before him : the Judgment was set, and the books 
were opened.'''' Dan. 7 : 9, 10. 

14. What did Daniel see the little horn (Roman Church) do after the 

judgment opened ? 

"I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the hor^t spake.'' 
Verse 11. 

15. When did the angel say this judgment work, called the cleansing 

of the sanctuary (see readings on the Atonement, pp. 81, d>^) 
would commence ? 

*' And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days ; then shall the 
sanctuary be cleansed." Dan. 8 : 14. 
Notes. — It may here be stated that since the closing of the 2300 days, in 1844, 
some of the greatest words of the Roman hierarchy have been uttered. For 
instance, the infallibility dogma of Pius IX., propagated in 1870. It is also a 
remarkable fulfillment of the prophecy that just prior to the close of that pro- 
phetic period, and in fulfillment of the first angel's message of Rev. 14 : 6, 7, 
men in various parts of the world did go forth proclaiming that " the hour of 
His judgment is come." It will be noticed in Rev. 10 : 2, that the angel set 
one foot on the sea and the other on the land, implying that his message is a 
world-wide one. In fulfillment of this, Joseph Wolfe in Asia, Irving in Eng- 
land, and Miller in America, with hundreds of co-laborers, heralded to the 
world, between the years 1836 and 1844, the message of the judgment hour. 

Mourant Brock, an English writer, says of the extent of that message : 
"It is not merely in Great Britain that the expectation of the near return of 
the Redeemer is entertained, and the voice of warning raised, but also in 
America, India, and on the continent of Europe. In America about three 
hundred ministers of the word are thus preaching ' this gospel of the king- 
dom ; ' whilst in this country about seven hundred of the Church of England 
are raising the same cry." — Advent Tracts, vol. 2, p. ij^. 

"The Voice of the Church," by D. T. Taylor, pp. 342, 343, speaks 
thus of the work done in the different countries of the world by those who 
proclaimed that message : "In Wirtemberg there is a Christian colony num- 
bering hundreds, who look for the speedy advent of Christ ; also another on 
the shores of the Caspian ; the Molokaners, a large body of dissenters from 
the Russian Greek Church, residing on the shores of the Baltic, — a very 
pious people, of whom it is said, 'Taking the Bible alone for their creed, the 
norm of their faith is simply the Holy Scriptures,' — are characterized by the 
'expectation of Christ's immediate and visible reign upon earth.' In Russia, 



^VAL V\RS^ NUG^L'S ^LSSKG^. 101 

the doctrine of Christ's coming and reign is preached to some extent, and 
received by many of the lower class. It has been extensively agitated in 
Germany, particularly in the south part among the Moravians. In Norway, 
charts and books on the advent have been circulated extensively, and the doc- 
trine received by many. Among the Tartars in Tartary, there prevails an 
expectation of Christ's advent about this time. English and American publi- 
cations on this doctrine have been sent to Holland, Germany, India, Ireland, 
Constantinople, Rome, and to nearly every missionary station on the globe. 
At the Turks Islands, it has been received to some extent among the Wes- 
leyans. Mr. Fox, a Scottish missionary to thg Teloogoo people, was a believer 
in Christ's soon coming. James Mac Gregor Bertram, a Scottish missionary 
of the Baptist order at St. Helena, has sounded the cry extensively on that 
island, making many converts and pre-millennialists ; he has also preached it 
in South Africa at the missionary stations there. David N. Lord informs us 
that a large proportion of the missionaries who have gone from Great Britain 
to make known the gospel to the heathen, and who are now laboring in Asia 
and Africa, are millennarians ; and Joseph Wolfe, D. D., according to his 
journals, between the years 1821 and 1845 proclaimed the Lord's speedy 
advent in Palestine, Egypt, on the shores of the Red Sea, Mesopotamia, the 
Crimea, Persia, Georgia, throughout the Ottoman Empire, in Greece, Arabia, 
Turkistan, Bokhara, Afghanistan, Cashmere, Hindoostan, Thibet, in Holland, 
Scotland, and Ireland, at Constantinople, Jerusalem, St. Helena, also on 
shipboard in the Mediterranean, and at New York City, to all denominations. 
He declares he has preached among Jews, Turks, Mohammedans, Parsees, 
Hindoos, Chaldeans, Yeseedes, Syrians, Sabeans, to pashas, sheiks, shahs, the 
kings of Organtsh and Bokhara, the queen of Greece, etc. ; and of his extra- 
ordinary labors the Investigator says, ' No individual has, perhaps, given 
greater publicity to the doctrine of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 
than has this well-known missionary to the world. Wherever he goes, he 
proclaims the approaching advent of the Messiah in glory.' " 

16. What did John do with the little book given him by the angel? and 

what effect did it have upon him ? 
" And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up ; and it was in 
my mouth sweet as honey ; and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.''^ 
Rev. 10 : 10. 

17. What is symbolized by his eating the book? 

" Moreover he said unto me. Son of man, eat that thou findest ; eat this roll, and 
go SPEAK unto the house of Israeli Eze. 3:1. To eat, or fill one's self, so 
as to speak what the roll contained, would be to take in or understand its con- 
tents. John, representing the Lord's messengers in this important message to 
be given, ate (devoured) the book, which was pleasant at first to contemplate, 
but became bitter afterward, representing the disappointment when the time 
passed in 1844, and the Lord did not come, as was anticipated. 

18. Were not the disciples disappointed in their expectations concern- 

ing Christ's work at his first advent ? 
"When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying. Lord, wilt 
thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?'" Acts i : 6. See also 
Luke 24 : 19-21. 



102 



^HL V\HS^ NHGLUS VJ\LSSf\G^. 



Note. — The disappointment of the disciples of Christ did not prove his mission 
false. As he rode into Jerusalem amid the shouts of " Hosanna ! " from the 
delighted disciples, who supposed he would then take the throne of David 
and commence his reign, the Pharisees asked him to rebuke the disciples. 
But Christ answered : "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the 
stones would immediately cry out." Luke 19:40. And why? — Because 
the prophecies relating to his earthly work had predicted this entry into Jerusa- 
lem (Zech. 9 : 9), and it must be fulfilled, even should the stones be caused 
to fulfill it. Then the Lord in this event suffered his disciples to be disap- 
pointed, and yet they were fulfilling prophecy. When Israel left Egypt, under 
the impression that they would in a few days, at farthest, enter the promised 
land, they, too, were disappointed. But that did not disprove the divine call 
of Moses, nor show that the departure from Egypt was not ordered by God. 
In every great movement which God has inaugurated among his people, he 
has suffered disappointment to come, in order to test the faith of those en- 
gaged in it. It was so in the cases of Elijah, Jonah, and others. And so it 
was in 1844. God suffered his people to misapprehend the intent of the 
prophecy, and thus their faith was tested. The disappointment vi^as due, not 
to an error in locating the beginning or the end of the 2300 days, but in the 
nature of the event to occur at the end of those days. They supposed the 
cleansing of the sanctuary meant the purifying of the earth by fire, at the 
coming of Christ. For an exposition of the 2300 days, see reading on "A 
Great Prophetic Period," p. 92. 

19. What did the Lord say should afterward be done? 

"And he said unto me, TJuni must prophesy again before many peoples, and na- 
tions, and tongues, and kings." Rev. 10: 1 1. 

20. What message was immediately to follow the proclamation of the 

judgment? 

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen." Rev. 
14 : 8. For explanation of this message, see next reading. 






^fbe Second J^ngeVs TVl^^ssage. 

HAT announcement is made by the second angel of Rev. 14? 

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, 
that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the 
wrath of her fornication." Rev. 14 : 8. 

2. To whom is the term Babylon elsewhere applied ? 

'^X^ "And the woman ivas arrayed 'vs\ purple and scarlet color. . . . And upon 
her forehead was a name written. Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of 
Harlots and Abominations of the Earth." Rev. 17 14, 5. 
Notes. — A woman, in prophecy, denotes a church. Eze. 23 : 2-4 ; Jer. 3:1, 14, 
20 ; Rom. 7:4; Rev. 14 : 4, 5. 

The word Babylon comes from Babel, and signifies mixture or confusion, 
which may be the result of idolatrous worship. Bush, in his Notes on Gen. 
10:10, says, "Babel (i. e., confusion) is but another name for Babylon, 
which, from its being the primitive seat of despotical empire, and probably of 
idolatrous worship, has come to be employed in the Scriptures, particularly in 
the Apocalypse, as a typical or symbolical designation of oppressive govern- 
ments, both civil and ecclesiastical." 

3. What does the apostle call the church that has become corrupted 

by worldly alliances ? 

" Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is 
enmity with God ? " James 4 : 4. Babylon is also said to coxaxraX. fornication. 

4. And what is that called which was to reveal the "man of sin," or 

the papacy ? 

[ 103 ] 



104: B\^^£ KLf\^\HC^S. 



" Let no man deceive you by any means ; for that day shall not come, except there 
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdi- 
tion." 2 Thess. 2:3. If a "falling away " in this case means apostasy, the 
"fall" of Babylon must be a moral fall, caused by a departure from the 
simplicity of the gospel. 

5. What work was this " mother of harlots " seen to engage in ? 

" And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of 
the martyrs of Jesus." Rev. 17:6. 

6. What was in the hand of this woman ? 

"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold 
and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abom- 
inations and filthiness of her fornication." Verse 4. 

7. What effect had this wine (false doctrine) upon those to whom it 

was given ? 

" And the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her for- 
nication." Verse 2. 

8. This woman is said to be the " mother " of harlots. Are there any 

churches which have sprung from the mother church of Rome, 
directly or indirectly, and which resemble her in doctrine or 
otherwise ? 

" If the church of Rome were ever guilty of idolatry in relation to the saints, her 
daughter, the Church of England, stands guilty of the same, which has ten 
churches dedicated to Mary for one dedicated to Christ." — Catholic Chris- 
tian Instructed, p. j8. 
Mr. Hopkins, in a treatise on the millennium, says : "There is no reason to con- 
sider the anti-Christian spirit and practices confined to that which is now called 
the church of Rome. The Protestant churches have much of Antichrist in 
them, and are far from being wholly reformed from corruption and wick- 
edness." 

" There is a powerful element of Romanism in all the larger Protestant bodies. 
The clergymen do not teach to the people the Bible itself in its purity and 
simplicity, but they require them to receive instead a system of clerical inter- 
pretations of the Bible." — Liberal Christian. 

9. What confessions have been made by leading men, which show 

that they consider the churches to be in a fallen condition ? 

" A confession can be had from the lips of the pastors of most of our churches, that 
in our midst there are wicked, unholy, corrupt men who maintain their position, 
and are saved from a righteous discipline, either by their wealth or social posi- 
tion. It is true of this church, and it is true of many of the churches around 
us. If a ship should go to sea with as many rotten timbers as we have spirit- 
ually rotten members, it would go to the bottom in twenty-four hours. . . . 
One thoughtful, intelligent layman, a member of a church which is a leader 



■\V\L SLCOH\^ 1\HG^V.'S VALSSKG^L. 105 

in its denomination, said the other day, ' Our church has degenerated into a 
great, strong, social, fashionable organization.' " — Rev. Geo. F. Pentecost, in 
Christian Statesman of Jan. 8, i8y6. 

Robert Atkins, also, in a sermon preached in London, said : "The truly right- 
eous are diminished from the earth, and no man layeth it to heart. The pro- 
fessors of religion of the present day, in every church, are lovers of the world, 
conformers to the world, lovers of creature comfort, and aspirers after respect- 
ability. They are called to suffer with Christ, but they shrink from even 
reproach. Apostasy, apostasy, apostasy, is engraven on the very front of every 
church ; and did they know it, and did they feel it, there might be hope ; 
but alas ! they cry, ' We are rich, and increased in goods, and have need of 
nothing.' " 

Referring to a session of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of 
Ireland, held in Belfast in 1859, the News Letter of that city, in its issue of 
Sept. 30, said : " Here in this venerable body of ministers and elders, we find 
two ministers openly giving each other the lie, and the whole General Assem- 
bly turned into a scene of confusion bordering upon a riot." 

10. What does Paul say of the condition of the church in the last 

days ? 
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall 
be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, . . . 
lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God ; having a form of godliness, but 
denying the power thereof : from such turn away." 2 Tim. 3 : 1-5. 
Notes. — H. Mattison, D. D., appeals to his people in the following strain: 
"You Methodists, who were once poor and unknown, but have grown rich 
and prominent in the world, have left the narrow way in which you walked 
twenty or thirty years ago, have ceased to attend class-meeting, seldom pray 
in your families or in prayer-meetings, as you once did, and are now indulg- 
ing in many of the fashionable amusements of the day, such as playing chess, 
dominoes, billiards, and cards, dancing, and attending theaters, or allowing 
your children to indulge in them." — Popular Amusements, p. j. 

The Christian Co77i7nomvealth, a leading religious journal of England, 
says: "More than once we have strongly denounced the pernicious vice of 
gambling, in all its varied forms, and we expect to do it again many times 
before the evil practice dies out. Certainly we cannot be silent when we find 
that even the church itself is infected with this pestilent disease. The raffling 
which goes on at bazaars is a species of gambling, and it is marvelous that 
Christian men should countenance it in any way. It is a lottery, pure and 
simple. At Birmingham the other day, ;^5 and £\o notes were raffled at a 
Congregational bazaar. This is just as much gambling as betting on horse- 
races, or playing at games of chance in the gambling hells of Monte Carlo. 
How can Christian men protest against the vices of the world while their own 
hands are polluted ? " 

11, How does the prophet elsewhere describe the condition of 

Babylon ? 
"Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and 
the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird." 
Rev. 18:2. 



106 1V\L SLCOUD l\UG^^^'S ULSSKGk^. 

Notes. — "I believe that one half of the professors of the gospel are nothing 
better than practical infidels." — Dr. Cmnnmzg, in '■'■Tifue of the End,'''' p. i8j. 

" The Church of England seems to be eaten through and through with 
sacramentarianism ; but non-conformity appears to be almost as badly riddled 
with philosophical infidelity. Those of whom we thought better things are 
turning aside one by one from the fundamentals of the faith. Through and 
through, I believe, the very heart of England is honey-combed with a damna- 
ble infidelity which dares still go into the pulpit, and call itself Christian." — 
Mr. Spurgeon, in the Record. 

Many of the evils set forth in the foregoing extracts existed (though per- 
haps in milder form than now) in 1844, and were probably the cause of the 
churches' rejecting the great Advent movement of that time. Since then the 
cry, "Babylon is fallen," has been going to the world. 

12. Where will many of God's people be found when this cry is at its 

hight ? 

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying. Come out of her, my people, that 
ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." 
Rev. 18 14. 
Note. — "I also think Christ has a true church on earth, but its members are 
scattered among the various denominations, and are all more or less under the 
influence of Mystery, Babylon and her daughters." — Wm. Kinkaid, in " Bible 
Doctrine,'''' p. 2g^. 

13. In this call to "come out" of Babylon, what message does the 

Lord send to guide his people into the truth for these days ? 

" And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship 
the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out 
without mixture into the cup of his indignation, . . . Here is the patience 
of the saints : here are they that keep the commandmeiats of God, and the 
faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:9-12. 
Note. — It is worthy of notice that the first of these angels has simply an an- 
nouncement to make of the judgment at hand ; the second tells the condition of 
the religious world, and exposes its unfitness to meet its record in the judgment 
previously announced ; while the third provides a remedy whereby the people 
may be made ready to meet the judgment and the coming King. This sub- 
ject is treated in the next reading. 





GAINST whose worship are the dwellers of earth warned by 
the third angel ? 

"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man 
worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, 
or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God," 
Rev. 14 : 9. 

2. What beast had been seen coming up out of the sea ? 

"And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, 
having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon 
his heads the name of blasphemy.'''' Rev. 13 : i. 

3. What power was given to this beast? 

" And it was given unto him to m,ake war with the saints, and to overcome them, ; 
and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." 
Verse 7. 

4. What was the result of his overcoming the saints ? 

" And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not writ- 
ten in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." 
Verse 8. 

5. What did the " mother of harlots " do to the saints ? 

"And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints^ and with the blood 
of the martyrs of Jesus, ' ' Rev. 17:6. 

[107] 



108 ^\BLL R^N\)\HGS. 



6. And what did she succeed in accomplishing by her course ? 

" The inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the tvine of her forni- 
cation.^'' Verse 2, The beast of Rev. 13, and the woman of Rev. 17, are 
identical. They are symbols of the Roman Church. She put to death 
millions of saints, and finally so nearly overcame the whole world that even 
"the kings of the earth " were subdued, and made to pay her homage and 
worship. 

7. What Other beast was seen to arise after the one last described? 

" And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth ; and he had two horns 
like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." Rev. 13 : 11. This symbol repre- 
sents the United States of America. For confirmation of this, see reading on 
"The Last Nation Noticed in Prophecy," p. 226. 

8. What is the two-horned beast to do ? 

" Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an i7tiage to the 
beast which had the wound by a sword, and did live." Verse 14. 

9. What will the two-horned beast require all under its jurisdiction 

to receive ? 

" And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive 
a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." Verse 16. 

10. What will be the result? 

" And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of 
the beast, or the number of his name." Verse 17. 

11. How much power is to be given to the image of the beast? 

"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the 
beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the 
image of the beast should be killed.''' Verse 15. The image of the beast is 
to have the same power as the beast itself has had — to kill those who will 
not obey its dogmas. 

12. After uttering his warning by the third angel against all this, what 

does God offer instead, as that which will manifest the patience 
of the saints ? 

" Here is the patience of the saints : here are they that keep the commajzdments of 
God, and the faith of Jesus.'" Rev. 14 : 12. 

13. What does the Bible set forth as the "commandments of God"? 

"And the Lord spake unto you out of the midst of the fire; . . . and he 
declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded yoic to perform, evefi ten 
commandments ; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone." Deut. 
4:12, 13. 

14. Were these ten commandments the complete law of God? 



^HL IVWHD KUGLVS \A^SSKGL. 109 

" These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst 
of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice ; and he 
added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone." Deut. 5 : 22. 

15. Why should the law of God be obeyed ? 

" Whosoever covimitteth sin transgresseth also the law ; for sin is the transgression 
of the law." I John 3 : 4. 

16. How 77iuch of the law should one keep to be called a command- 

ment keeper? 

" For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty 
of all." James 2 : 10. 

17. How does the apostle illustrate his meaning in this statement? 

" For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also. Do not kill. Now if thou 
com?nit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the 
law.''^ Verse 1 1. 
Note. — If keeping the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will be 
proof against worshiping the beast and his image, and receiving his mark, 
then it is plain that those who do worship the beast do not keep the command- 
ments. It is also established by this that the great religious controversy of 
the last generation is to be over the commandments of God. 

18. Why will the remnant church be persecuted ? 

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the rem- 
nant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony 
of Jesus Christ.'''' Rev. 12:17. 




^^»^^- 





6. 



Hcttui^e of God's I^aiA?. 

OW many lawgivers are there ? 

"There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy." James 4 : 12. 

2. What is said of the stability of his character ? 

For I am the Lord, I change not." Mai. 3 : 6. 

What is the character of his works ? 

The works of his hands are verity and judgment ; all his commandments are 
sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and upright- 
ness.^'' Ps. 111:7, S- 

What is the character of his law ? 

For we know that the lazv is spiritual ; but I am carnal, sold under sin." Rom. 
7:14. 

What is revealed in that law as necessary for the carnal man to 
know before he can be converted ? 

And knozvest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being in- 
structed out of the law.''^ Rom. 2 : 18. 

Then, if there is a change in one's life, from the carnal to the spirit- 
ual, does the law act any part in that work ? 

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul : the testimony of the Lord 
is sure, making wise the simple." Ps. 19 : 7. 

AVhat did our Saviour say to the young man who wanted salvation? 

And he said unto him, "Why callest thou me good ? there is none good but one, 
that is, God : but if thou zailt enter into life, keep the cotnmandments .'''' Matt. 
19:17. 

Was it the intention of Christ to abolish or change any part of 
God's law? 

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall 
in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5 : 18. 

What did the Saviour say he came to do to the law ? 
[no] 



UMViRL OV GO^'S V.N^. Ill 

*' Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets : I am not come to 
destroy^ but to fulfill.'''' Matt. 5:17. 

10. When used in prophecy, what does the word /z/'/^// mean ? — To 

bring to pass. 

"That it might be fulfilled %vhich was spoken by Esaias the prophet." Matt. 4 : 14. 
"Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed 
up in victory." I Cor. 15 : 54, 

11. But what does the word mean when associated with an obligation? 

— To perform, or act in accordance with. 

'■'• Bear ye one another'' s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal. 6:2; 
Matt. 3:15; James 2 : 8, 9. 

12. What did Christ say he came into the world to do ? 

"Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith. Sacrifice and offering thou 
wouldst not. . . . Then said /, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is 
written of me) to do thy will, O God.'''' Heb. 10 : 5-7. 

13. Who did the Saviour say should be saved in the kingdom of 

heaven ? 

"Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of 
heaven ; btit he that doeth the tuill of my Father which is in heaven.'''' Matt. 
7 : 21. 

14. What did he say of those who should break one of God's /east 

commandments ? 

"Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall 
teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 
5 : 19. That is, it shall be said by those in the kingdom of heaven, that he 
is the least, and God will have no regard for him while maintaining that 
position. 

15. What did he say of those whose righteousness (right-doing) did 

not exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees ? 

" For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteous- 
ness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of 
heaven.'''' Verse 20. 

16. On what particular point did Christ reprove the Pharisees? 

"But he answered and said unto them. Why do ye also transgress the command- 
ment of God by your tradition ? " Matt. 15:3- 

17. How had they done this ? 

"For God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and mother; . . . but ye say, 
Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother. It is a gift, . . . and honor 
not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the 
commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." Verses 4-6. 



112 UMV^RL OV GO\^'S VK\N. 

i8. What kind of worship did he say theirs was ? 

" But in vain they do worship me^ teaching for doctrines the commandments of 
men." Verse 9. These people were guilty of breaking (or as the original 
has it in Matt. 5 : 19, "loosing," that is, lessening the obligation of) one of 
God's commandments, to keep up a tradition handed down to them. Theirs 
was a vain worship. God did not recognize it. They were regarded as the 
least of all his intelligent creatures, because they had the commandments be- 
fore them, and yet persisted in substituting a tradition in the place of one of 
them. This is the Saviour's meaning in Matt. 5 : 19, given above. 

19. By what rule will men's actions be weighed in the judgment? ■ 

" For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law; and as 
many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law, ... in the day 
when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gos- 
pel." Rom. 2 : 12-16. 

20. How many of those who are condemned will be proved guilty by 

the law at that time ? 

" Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are un- 
der the law ; that eveiy mouth viay be stopped, and all the world may become 
guilty before God.'''' Rom. 3 : 19. The Gentile as well as the Jew will be 
proved guilty. Rom. 2 : 11 ; 10 : 12. Then the law of God must be the rule 
of life to all men in the world till the judgment. 

21. By whom will the saved be blessed in the bestowal of the eternal 

reward ? 

" Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Cofne, ye blessed of my Fa- 
ther, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." 

Matt. 25 : 34. 

2 2. What blessing will God give to those who have kept his command- 
ments ? 

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the 
tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22 : 14. 

Note. — It is not to be supposed that simply keeping the commandments will 
give one a place in glory ; for " by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh 
be justified in his sight." Rom. 3 : 20. But one must show his willingness 
to yield to the demands of God before he can ever have the blood of Christ 
to wash his sins away. For an explanation of this point, see readings on 
" Conversion," "The New Birth," Faith, etc. We have found, however, that 
the law of God is unchangeable. In fact, it could not be otherwise, proceed- 
ing from the source it does. The law reveals the attributes of its Giver : 
I. Truth (Ps. 119:142); 2. Righteousness (Ps. 119:172); 3. Love (Ex. 
20 : 6 ; Matt. 22 : 36-40) ; 5. Holiness (Rom. 7 : 12) ; 6. Perfection (Ps. 19 : 
7) ; 7. Immutability (Ps. 111:7, 8) I 8. Spirituality (Rom. 7 : 14) ; 9. Crea- 
tive power (Ex. 20 : 8-1 1) ; etc. 





"a bxoV\.ew Qiwdi «i coY\\\v)Le \veja\, C)0\i. V\vou \xi\\\ rvoX des^v?)e-*l 

Repentance. 

O whom is repentance to be preached ? 

"And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in 
his name a7nong all nations.'''' Luke 24 : 47. 

2. Who are called to repentance? 
"I came not to call the righteous, hut sinners, to repentance." Luke 5 : 32. 

3. How is one to know he is a sinner? 

" By the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3 : 20. 

4. Is this a universal rule ? 

"We have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin." 
Verse 9. 

5. How are sinners convinced of sin? 

" But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the lazu as 
transgressors." James 2 : 9. 

6. What part does the Holy Spirit act in this work ? 

" For if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I depart, I 
will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world 
of sin.''"' John 16 : 7, 8, 13, 14. 

7. What will be the inquiry of those who are thus convicted ? 
" Men and brethren, what shall we do ?'''' Acts 2 : 37. 

8. What reply should always be returned to this inquiry ? 

^'■Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the re- 
mission of sins." Verse 38. 



3 



[II31 



114 B\BL^ R^I\\^\UGS. 



9. How will the convicted sinner be constrained to act? 

"I will declare mine iniquity ; I will be sorry for my sin." Ps. 38 : 18. 

10. What result will godly sorrow work ? 

*' For godly sorrow ^ccT/^^^/z repentance to salvation.'''' 2 Cor. 7: 10. Repentance 
is the effect of godly sorrow, not the cause. 

11. What will any other kind of sorrow do? 

" The sorrow of the world worketh death.'''' Same verse. The sorrow of the world 
is the result of carnal considerations, and the sinner regrets more that the sin 
is exposed, than that the evil was committed, 

12. What does true repentance involve? 

"Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed ; and 
make you a new heart and a new spirit : for why will ye die ? " Eze. 18 : 31. 

13. After repentance, how should one live? 

" What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 
God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? ' ' 
Rom. 6:1,2. 

14. Whose servant is he that committeth sin? 

" He that committeth sin is of the Devil." i John 3:8. 

15. How does God regard the truly penitent? 

"To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and 
trembleth at my word." Isa. 66 : 2. 

16. What promise is made to those who confess their sins? 

" If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just io forgive us our sins, and to cleanse 
us from all unrighteousness.'''' I John I : 9. Every known sin must be con- 
fessed to Christ, in order to secure the blessing of a full salvation. 

17. By what are we cleansed from sin? 

" The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.". Verse 7. 

18. Toward whom are we to repent? 
"Repentance toward God." Acts 20 : 21. 

19. Toward whom must we exercise faith ? 
"And faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Same verse. 

20. Does repentance generally precede faith ? 

"Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and say- 
ing, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand : repent ye, and 
believe the gospel.'''' Mark I : 14, 15. 



?^^?LU1KHC^. 115 



Note. — That faith which believes God to be self-existent and eternal (Heb. 
II : 6), which accepts the Bible as his will to men, must necessarily and al- 
ways precede repentance. But that faith which takes hold on Christ as the 
Saviour, and accepts him as the sacrifice for the transgression of God's law, 
must follow repentance. 

21. How will one show that he has truly repented? 

" Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance [margin, answerable to amend- 
ment of life'].'' Matt. 3:8. 

22. What does the grace of God teach? 

" P"or the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching 
us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, right- 
eously, and godly, in this present world." Titus 2 : 11, 12. 



->^i^-^ 



r^ THOU that hearest the prayer of faith, 
^~ Wilt thou not save a soul from death 

That casts itself on thee ? 
I have no refuge of my own, 
But fly to what my Lord hath done, 

And suffered once for me. 

Slain in the guilty sinner's stead. 
His spotless righteousness I plead. 

And his availing blood : 
That righteousness my robe shall be. 
That merit shall atone for me, 

And bring me near to God. 

Then save me from the second death. 
The Spirit of adoption breathe. 

His consolations send ; 
By him some word of life impart, 
And sweetly whisper to my heart, 
" Thy Maker is thy friend." 

Now, Lord, I would be thine alone ; 
Come, take possession of thine own ; 

For thou hast set me free ; 
Released from Satan's hard command. 
See all my powers in waiting stand. 

To be employed by thee. 




["6] 



CHRIST INSTRUCTING NICODEMUS. 





HAT is the natural condition of the human family ? 

" For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3 : 23. 

2. Who alone will be permitted to see God ? 
" Blessed are the pure in heart ; for they shall see God." Matt. 5 : 8. 

3. Can man by his own exertions alone, change his condition ? 

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also 
do good, that are accustomed to do evil.'''' Jer. 13 : 23. 

4. How, then, can one be brought to God ? 

" For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might 
bring us to God.'''' I Peter 3 : 18. 

5. What progress can one make in coming to God without the help 

of Christ? 

"I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the 
same bringeth forth much fruit; for without me ye can do tto thing.'''' John 
15 = 5- 

6. When one is "in Christ," what has he become? 

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creattire : old things are passed 
away ; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5 : 17. 

7. What must take place before one can become a " new creature " ? 

" For I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin 
revived, and I died.'''' Rom, 7:9. 

8. Unto what had Paul died ? 

" How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein ? " Rom. 6:2. 

9. By what did sin slay Paul ? 

"For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it sletv me.^'' 



Rom. 7 : 



[117] 



118 B\^\.L RLN\^\HC^S. 



10. Then what gives sin its strength to kill ? 

" The sting of death is sin ; and the st7'ength of sin is the law.''^ i Cor. 15 : 56. 

11. When by the law one is convicted of sin, and has died to sin (/. <?., 

stands convicted before the law), how may he be made to live, 
or have the prospect of salvation ? 

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man 
be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." John 3 : 3. 

12. By what process does this second birth take place? 

" The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but 
canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth : so is every one that is 
born of the Spirit.''^ Verse 8. 

13. By what means is the second birth effected ? 

"Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of 
God, which liveth and abideth forever." i Peter i : 23. 

14. Can one be born of the Spirit, and still do the works of the flesh ? 

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of the Spirit is 
spirits John 3:6; Rom. 8:5. That is, if one has only been born of the 
flesh, he is fleshly, or carnal, in his habits. The two words, carnal zn^ fleshly , 
are derived from the same original word, and are used interchangeably in the 
New Testament. Rom. 8 : 5-9. If, on the other hand, he has been born of 
the Spirit, he is spiritual. 

15. Do these two conditions harmonize? 

"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and 
these are contrary the one to the other ; so that ye cannot do the things that ye 
would." Gal. 5 : 17. 

16. What are the works of the flesh ? 

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these : Adultery, fornication, 
uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, 
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, 
and such like." Gal. 5 : 19-21. 

17. What are the works of the Spirit? 

" But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, 
faith, meekness, temperance." Verses 22, 23. 

18. When a man has been " born again," what will he do ? 

"If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness 
is born of him." l John 2 : 29. 

19. What is righteousness ? 

"Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy 
sins by righteousness:'' Dan. 4 : 27 ; i Cor. 15 134. By this it is seen that 
righteousness is the opposite of sin ; hence it is right-doing. 



IHL H^^ ^\H^VA. 119 



20. How, then, will he that is born of God regard sin ? 

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him ; 
and he cannot sin, because he is born of God." I John 3:9. It is unneces- 
sary to say that man does not commit sin after being taken to heaven ; for no 
sin is there. A man here, vi^hen born of God, does not commit sin (transgress 
the law) ; for the seed (the M^ord of God. I Peter i : 23) remaineth in him. 
When once born of God's Spirit, he will bear the fruits of the Spirit, one of 
which is scrupulously to obey God, whose spirit he possesses. 

21. What does Paul say of his conversion? 

"And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.'''' i Cor. 
15:8. 

2 2. How was Paul thus made to live? 

'■'■For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law 
of sin and death." Rom. 8:2. 

Note. — The "law of sin and death" is man's unrenewed nature, the carnal 
mind, ever impelling him to sin and transgression. The " law of the Spirit of 
life in Christ Jesus," which frees us from this law of sin, is the new nature 
given us by Christ, which leads us to turn away from sin, and to overcome it. 
The great moral law of God stands as the test of character in both conditions. 
In the one case it condemns him ; in the other it does not. 

23. When thus made free from the law of sin and death, in what con- 

dition is an individual ? 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jestcs, who 
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. ' ' Verse I . 

24. To what kind of a life does the new birth raise one ? 

"Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto 
6^d7^ through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6 : 11. 

25. If really born of God, what will one manifest? 

" Beloved, let us love one another ; for love is of God ; and every one that loveth 
is born of God, and knoweth God." i John 4 : 7. 

26. What victory will be finally given to those who are born again ? 

" For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that 
overcometh the world, even our faith." I John 5 : 4. 



•'^'^^»^'^*^- 




Gi^ 



pY what act were Aaron and his sons set apart for the priest- 
hood ? 

"And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, that 
they may minister unto me in the priest's office." Ex. 30 : 30. 

i^ Note. — " Consecration: The act or ceremony of separating from a common 
to a sacred use, or of devoting and dedicating a person or thing to the serv- 
ice and worship of God ; dedication." — Webster. 

2. What are God's people now called ? 

"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar 
people." I Peter 2 19, first part. 

3. What were they before being a " chosen " people ? 

" Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God." 
Verse 10. 

4. Out of what were they called ? 

" That ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness 
into his marvelous light." Verse 9, latter part. 

5. To what does God set apart those who consecrate themselves? 

" But know that the Lord hath set apart him that is ^od\y for liimself.'''' Ps. 4 13. 

6. By what act does one publicly take on the Lord Jesus ? 

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." 
Gal. 3 : 27, 

7. When one comes to Christ, what should he desire to do ? 

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you, and learii of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart." 
Matt. II : 28, 29. That is, he should become a learner or disciple of Christ. 
When one comes to Christ, he is from that time forward, during life, a learner. 
He has entered the school of Christ, and does not graduate until his proba- 
tion closes. 
[120] 



eons^GHi\^\ou. 121 



8. If one would come to Christ really to be a learner or disciple of 

him, what must he be willing to give up ? 

" If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and chil- 
dren, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my 
disciple." Luke 14:26. 
Notes. — "Matthew, chap, 10:37, expresses the true meaning of this word 
[hate], when he says, He who loveth his father and mother more than me. 
. . . When we read (Rom. 9 : 13), Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I 
hated, the meaning is" simply, I have loved Jacob (the Israelites) more than 
Esau (the Edomites)." — Dr. A. Clarke. 

"It is most certain, however, that the term hate must not be taken abso- 
lutely (for no man ever hated his own flesh. Eph. 5 : 29) ; but as is ex- 
plained by St. Matthew (chap. 10:37), 'He that loveth his father and 
mother »2^r^ than me, is not worthy of me.' If it be true that our attach- 
ment to objects should bear a proportion to their intrinsic excellence, then 
all our love to creatures should be as nothing compared to what we owe to the 
'supreme good — the eternal fair.'" — Cottage Bible. 

9. How emphatic does the Saviour, then, make the conditions of 

one's discipleship ? 

" So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot 
be my disciple." Luke 14 : 33. 

10. What does he say the acceptance of Christ will cause in some 

cases ? 

" I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against 
her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man's 
foes shall be they of his own household.'''' Matt. lo : 35, 36. 

11. Why does all the world unite to hate the true Christian? 

" If ye were of the world, the world would love his own ; but because ye are not of 
the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth 
you.'''' John 15 : 19. 

12. How closely does Christ unite his followers to himself? 

" I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the 
same bringeth forth much fruit ; for .without me ye can do nothing," 
Verse 5. 

13. If one does not bear the same fruit as Christ, what may be a safe 

conclusion ? 

" If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.'''' Rom. 8 : 9. 

14. But if one has the Spirit of Christ, what fruit will he bear? 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace. Ion sf-suff~e ring, gentleness, goodness, 
faith, meekness, temperance.'''' Gal, 5 : 22, 23. 



122 COHSLCRK^\OH. 



15. If one is really a consecrated learner of Christ, what mind will he 

have ? 
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Phil. 2:5. 

16. What was the mind of Christ? 

"But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, 
. . . and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself^ and became 

obedient unto death.'''' Phil. 2 : 7, 8. 

17. If one abides in Christ, how should he walk? 

"He that saith he abideth in him, ougJit hij?iself also so to zvalk, even as he 
zualked.'''' I John 2:6. 

18. For what purpose have the promises of God been bestowed on the 

world ? 
"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises ; that by these 
ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption 
that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter i : 4. 

19. Then what does one's body become ? 

"What ? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in 
you, which ye have of God ? " i Cor. 6 : 19. 

20. In that case, to whom does one belong, and what is he to do ? 

" And ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in 
your body, and in your spirit, which are God^s.''^ I Cor. 6: 19, 20. Our 
time, strength, and means are God's, and should be given to his service. 

21. When thus given to God, what position will one occupy? 

" Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go 
for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me^ Isa. 6:8. The consecrated 
person will pay more regard to God's word than to the entreaty of earthly 
friends. He will be ready to advance in any direction that shall be pointed 
out by that precious volume, even though it be at the expense of the friendship 
of father, mother, sister, brother, husband, or wife. 

2 2. How does David express this willing frame of mind in the servant 
of God? 
" Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the 
eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress ; so our eyes wait upon the 
Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us." Ps. 123 : 2. 




O day ot rest and gladness, 
O day of joy and light, 

O balm of care and sadness. 
Most beautiful, most bright. 



^he Gt>^istian gabbatb, or ^oi^d's Qa\f. 

N what foundation is the Christian church built ? 

" And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ 
himself being the chief corner-stone.'''' Eph. 2 : 20. Christ, then, is the cor- 
ner-stone of both apostles and prophets, one as much as the other. 

2. By whom were all things created ? 

"Which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, tvho created all 
things by Jesus Christ.'''' Eph. 3:9. 

3. When was the creation finished ? 

"And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. 
And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. Thus the heavens and 
the earth were finished, and all the host of them.'''' Gen. 1:31 ; 2 : I. 

4. What did the Creator do on the seventh day ? 

" And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made ; and he rested 
on the seventh day from all his work which he had made." Gen. 2:2. If 
all things were made by Jesus Christ (John 1:3, 10 ; Col. i : 16), then he 
rested on the first seventh day from his labor of the creation of the world, 
just the same as did the Father. 

5. After resting from his creative work on that seventh day, what did 

the Creator do ? 

"And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it ; because that in it he had 
rested from all his work which God created and made." Gen. 2:3. John i : 
3, 10, says that not only was the world made by Christ, but that without him 
was not ANYTHING made that was made. 

[123] 



124 ^\^V.L R^k\)\HaS. 



6. Was the Sabbath made ? 

"And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the 
Sabbath." Mark 2 : 27. Then Christ made the Sabbath, and instead of its 
being "Jewish," it is Christian. 

7. In view of this, what claim does Christ make to the Sabbath? 
" Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark 2 : 28. 

8. How much honor is due to Christ? 

" All men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honor- 
eth not the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him." John 5 : 23. 
Christ, then, must be honored with his Father, as Creator. And to honor 
him as Creator, one must regard the day that was set apart to commemorate 
the creative work. 

9. Did Christ, who is the corner-stone of the church of God, keep 

the Sabbath day that he himself had blessed and sanctified? 

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up : and, as his custom 
was., he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to 
read." Luke 4 : 16. 

10. When the Saviour predicted the destruction of Jerusalem by the 

Romans, and the consequent flight of the disciples from all 
Judea, how did he urge them to regard the Sabbath in that 
flight ? 

"But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither 07i the Sabbath day.'''' 
Matt. 24 : 20. 
Notes. — Nothing is more certain than that at the time of the Roman invasion 
(A. D. 70) here referred to by the Saviour, the Sabbath was in his mind, and he 
commanded his disciples to pray to be saved from fleeing on that day. And 
yet that flight was to be so sudden that no one was to stop to take anything 
from his house. But even though this was the case, he would have them re- 
gard the sacredness of the Sabbath. That flight occurred thirty-nine years 
after the crucifixion of Christ. If the day was sacred then, it can be no less so 
in this year of grace. 

11. Did the followers of Christ keep the Sabbath after his death? 
"And they returned and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath 

day according to the com?nandi?iejtt.'''' Luke 23 : 56. 

12. What did they do on the next day? and what day of the week 

was it? 
"Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto 
the sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others 
with them." Luke 24 : i. Then the Sabbath " according to the command- 
ment," which was kept by Christ and his disciples, was the day next preced- 
ing the first day, or Sunday. 

13. What day does the commandment say is the Sabbath ? 
"But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20 : 10. 



^VAL CV\H\ST\KH SNBBMH, 0?. LOR\^'S DM. 125 

14. How were the commandments, of which this is one, given to the 

people? 
" These ivords the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the juount out of the midst 
of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice ; a7td 
he added no more.''^ Deut. 5:22. This statement ("and he added no 
more ") shows that the ten commandments, as given by God on Mount Sinai, 
are a complete law, and nothing more was added to them. This, then, is 
emphatically that which went out of the mouth of God. 

15. What has God said about changing that which went out of his 

mouth ? 

"My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.'''' 
Ps. 89 : 34. 

16. What was Christ to do to the law when he came ? 

"The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake : he ivill magnify the lazv 
and make it honorable.'''' Isa. 42 : 21. The Sabbath, as a part of that law, 
must also have been magnified and made honorable by the Saviour. To mag- 
nify anything is to make it appear larger, and show its minutest parts. This 
in no way diminishes or belittles the institution. 

17. What did the Saviour say about the Sabbath? 

"Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days." Matt. 12 : 12. "It is 
lawful ; " that is, according to the law, or in harmony with it. 

18. How did the apostle Paul use the Sabbath days ? 

"And Paul, as his manner zuas, went in unto them, and three Sabbath days rea- 
soned zvith them out of the Scriptures.'''' Acts 17:2. With reference to his 
manner, or custom, see Acts 13 : 14, 42, 44 ; 16 : 13 ; 18 : 1-4, 11. 

19. On what day was John in the Spirit? 

" I was in the Spirit on the Lord'' s day.'''' Rev. I : 10. In view of what the Saviour 
has said of being Lord of the Sabbath day, there can be no reasonable doubt 
that the Sabbath made by Christ in Eden, which he blessed and sanctified for 
man, and which he kept during his life, and commanded his disciples to keep, 
even in their hasty flight from Judea, is the Lord's day, and the true Christian 
Sabbath. 






Geremonial Sabbatfis. 



HAT was the result of blotting out the handwriting of ordi- 
nances ? * "^ 

"Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which 
was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. . . . 
Let 710 man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holy- 
day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days, which are a shadow of things 
to come ; but the body is of Christ." Col. 2 : 14-17. 

2. Upon what were the ten commandments written ? 

"And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, 
even ten commandments; and he zurote them upon tzvo tables of stoiie.'''' 
Deut. 4 : 13. 

3. In what manner were they written on these tables of stone ? 

"And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, 
graven upon the tables.'''' Ex. 32 : 16. 
Note. — The law of God was engraven in stone, which would not admit of its 
being blotted ont ; neither would the expression " nailed to the cross " be ap- 
plicable to tables of stone. 

4. For what was the weekly Sabbath made ? 

"And he said unto them, The Sabbath was made for vian, and not man for the 
Sabbath." Mark 2 : 27. If made/f^r man, it could not well be one of those 
things that were against him. 

5. When was the Sabbath made? 

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. . . . 
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it ; because that in it he had 
rested from all his work which God created and made." Gen. 2 : 1-3. 

6. What was man's condition then ? 

" And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And 
the evening and the morning were the sixth day." Gen. 1:31. 

7. Had man faithfully obeyed God from the beginning, would he have 

been counted a sinner ? 
[126] 



CLRLVKOU\KV. SNBBNTVAS. 127 

" For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall 
be justified.'''' Rom. 2 : 13. In that case, man would not have needed the 
Saviour, and consequently Christ would not have died in man's behalf. The 
Sabbath of the Lord, then, was in man's possession before he needed a 
Saviour. 

8. For what purpose were the sabbaths instituted which formed a 

part of the " handwriting of ordinances " ? 

" Which are a shadow of things to come ; but the body is of Christ." Col. 2:17. 
They pointed forward to Christ. 

9, To what does the Sabbath of the fourth commandment direct the 

mind? — Back to creation. 

"For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all tljat in them is, 
and rested the seventh day ; wherefore [for this reason] the Lord blessed the 
Sabbath day, and hallowed it." Ex. 20 : ii. It is not, then, a shadow of 
" things to come," but a memorial of God's creative power, and therefore ex- 
cluded from the sabbaths " which are a shadow of things to come." 

10. Were there any sabbath days in the old dispensation that were 

local and shadowy ? 

"In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath." 
Lev. 23 : 24. " Also the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day 
of atonement. ... It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict 
your souls." Verses 27-32. 

11. What were these days for? 

" These are the feasts of the Lord, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convoca- 
tions, to offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, a burnt-offering, and a 
meat-offering, a sacrifice, and drink- off e7'ings, everything upon his day.''' 
Verse 37. 

12. Were these entirely distinct from the seventh-day Sabbath? 

'■'■ Beside the Sabbaths of the Lord, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, 
and beside all your free-will offerings, which ye give unto the Lord." 
Verse 38. 
Notes. — It is very evident from the study of this subject that the " Sabbath of 
the Lord" and the shadowy sabbaths were altogether different institutions, 
and that they were for widely different purposes. The first was to commemo- 
rate God's great creative work, while the others were shadows, pointing to the 
substance — Christ. When he to whom they directed the mind was come, 
they were no longer needed ; for since his death the memory of him is pre- 
served through the memorial of the Lord's Supper. 

Dr. Adam Clarke says : "The apostle speaks here in reference to some 
particulars of the handwriting of ordinances, which had been taken away ; 
viz., the distinction of meats and drinks, what was clean and what unclean, 
according to the law ; and the necessity of observing certain holy-days ox festi- 



128 CLR^VJ\OH\NL SK^Bk^VAS. 

vals, such as the new moons and particular sabbaths, or those which should be 
observed with more than ordinary solemnity ; all these had been taken out of 
the way and nailed to the cross, and were no longer of moral obligation. 
There is no intimation here that the Sabbath was done away, or that its moral 
use was superseded, by the introduction of Christianity. I have shown else- 
where that, Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy, is a command of per- 
petual obligation, and can never be superseded but by the final termination of 
time. As it is a type of that rest which remains for the people of God, 
of an eternity of bliss, it must continue in full force till that eternity arrives ; 
for no type ever ceases till the antitype be come. Besides, it is not clear that 
the apostle refers at all to the Sabbath in this place, whether Jewish or Chris- 
tian ; oal3j3aTCJv, of sabbaths or iveeks, most probably refers to their feasts of 
weeks, of which much has been said in the notes on the Pentateuch." — 
Notes on Col. 2 : 16. 



•^^•<- 



O TAND by the law once proclaimed from Sinai : 
^-^ Some its teachings and its force deny : 
What says the Saviour ? now hearken and obey, — 
Not one jot or tittle shall pass away." 

Ten are its precepts, — consider them again, — 
Love to God, and love to fellow-men : 
Foiir point to God and the duty that we owe. 
And six, our relation to mortals show. 

Since by the law we are sinners proved to be, 
Christ has died that we may all be free : 
Free from the death which the broken law demands, 
But not from obedience to its commands. 

Now if the law was unknown till Sinai, 
AH were righteous who before did die ! 
And, if its precepts by Christ were done away. 
There lives not a sinner on earth to-day ! 

All yearly sabbaths, and offerings the same. 
Lost their meaning when the Saviour came ; 
But kill the law, and all would go to heaven ! 
No need of a Saviour, or sins forgiven ! 



-^»m- 




gabbatfi Refoi^m. 

^^PEAKING of those who substitute a man-made commandment for 
((^p one of God's commandments, what kind of worship does Christ 
say they render ? 

• But in vain they do zvorship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of 
men." Matt. 15:9. 

2. Concerning what commandment did Christ reprove the Pharisees 

on that occasion ? 

"For God conwianded, saying, Honor thy father and mother ; . . . but ye say, 
Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever 
thou mightest be profited by me ; and honor not his father or his mother, 
he shall be free." Verses 4-6. 

3. What was the result of their course ? 

" Thns have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition." 
Verse 6. 

4. What question did the disciples soon afterward ask Christ con- 

cerning what he had said ? 

'•'■ Knotvest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?" 
Verse 12. 

5. What answer did the Saviour make? 

" But he answered and said. Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted^ 
shall he rooted up.'''' Verse 13. 

9 [129] 



130 ^\B\.L ^LKDVHG^S. 



Note. — What is true of the fifth commandment of the decalogue is true of every 
other part of it. If a tradition of men has set aside any other one of the 
commandments of God, the words of Christ to the Pharisees are apphcable to 
those who will, in the face of light, persist in regarding the tradition rather 
than the commandment. 

6. Where and by whom was the Sabbath of the fourth commandment 

planted ? 

" For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, 
and rested the seventh day ; luherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and 
hallowed it.'' Ex. 20 : li. 

7. Who claims to have planted the Sunday institution? 

" Ques. — Has the chvirch power to make any alterations in the commandments of 
God? 

" Ans. — Instead of the seventh day, and other festivals appointed by the old law, 
the church has prescribed the Sundays and holy-days to be set apart for God's 
worship ; and these we are now obliged to keep in consequence of God's com- 
mandment, instead of the ancient Sabbath." — Catholic Christian Instructed, 
p. 204, ed. Kelly, Piet and Co., Baltimore. 

"We Catholics, then, have precisely the same authority for keeping Sunday 
holy, instead of Saturday, as we have for every other article of our creed ; 
namely, the authority of ' the church of the living God, the pillar and 
ground of the truth' (i Tim. 3:15); whereas, you who a:re Protestants 
have really no authority for it whatever ; for there is no authority for it in 
the Bible, and you will not allow that there can be authority for it any- 
where else. Both you and we do, in fact, follow tradition in this matter ; 
but zve follow it, believing it to be a part of God's word, and the church 
to be its divinely appointed guardian and interpreter ; you follow it, de- 
nouncing it all the time as a fallible and treacherous guide, which often 
' makes the commandment of God of none effect. ' " — Clifton Tracts, vol. 
4, art. A Question for all Bible Christians, p. i_^. For further quotations 
on this point, see reading on "The Change of the Sabbath," p. 60. 

8. When is salvation to be brought to the people of God ? 

"Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be 
revealed in the last time.'''' I Peter 1:5; Isa. 25 : 9 ; 35 : 4. The salva- 
tion here spoken of is the redemption that Christ brings to his people at his 
second coming. 

9. When God's salvation is near to come, and the advent doctrine 

is being preached, for what will God pronounce a blessing on 
the people ? 

"My salvation is near to come, and my righteousness to be revealed. Blessed is 
the man that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth hold on it ; that 
keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand from doing any 
evil." Isa. 56 : I, 2. 



SKBBMH \\LVO\\^. 131 



10. Is this promise to be confined to the Jews at that time? 

'■'■Also the SONS OF THE STRANGER, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, 
and to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth 
the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant ; even them 
will I bring to my holy inountain, and make them joyful in my house of 
prayer." Verses 6, 7. 

11. What other promise has he given to the Gentiles who will then 

keep the Sabbath ? 

" Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a 
name better than of sons and of daughters : I will give them an everlasting 
name, that shall not be cut off." Verse 5. It is evident from these script- 
ures that in the last days, when men are waiting for the Saviour to appear, 
there will be a call for those who really love the Lord to separate them- 
selves from the world by observing the Lord's Sabbath. 

12. What does God call upon his ministers to say to his professed 

people at this time ? 

" Cry alozid, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shoiu my people their 
transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins." Isa. 58 : i. 

13. After speaking of their lack of devotion in certain directions, 

and offering a corrective, what other wrong does he point out 
and offer a remedy for ? 

• "^ thou turn azvay thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my 
holy day ; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable ; 
and shall honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleas- 
ure, nor speaking thine own words." Verse 13. 
Note. — The Sabbath of Jehovah is not now, by the majority, called holy and 
honorable. It is by many stigmatized as "Jewish." The prophet undoubt- 
edly saw how this would be in this age, and was moved to speak as he did 
because of this. " Turn away thy foot from the Sabbath." This is a strong 
expression to show that many would trample upon God's day, and do their 
own pleasure upon it, instead of seeking God's honor. 

14. To those who will have courage to heed the appeal here given, 

what does the Lord promise ? 

" Then shall thou delight thyself in the Lord ; and I will cause thee to ride upon 
the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy 
father ; for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it." Verse 14. 

15. And what will those be called who turn from their transgressions ? 

"And thou shalt be called, Tlie repairer of the breach. The restorer of paths 
to dwell in.'''' Verse 12. 

16. What does another prophet say that God's professed teachers will 

do? 



132 ^\BLL R^^^\UQ^S. 



'■'■Her priests have violated my lazv, and have profaned mine holy things ; they 
have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they 
showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their 
eyes from my Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them." Eze. 22 : 26. 

17. What does he say they have done to maintain their theories? 

"And her prophets have daubed them with tintempered mortar, seeing vanity, and 
divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath 
not spoken^ Verse 28. 
Note. — Untejjipered mortar is that which is unworked, and therefore will not 
stand the test. It is said by many that the Sabbath has been changed, and 
that God says so. This is " untempered " mortar, and after it has been thus 
used in order to plaster up the first-day theory, it is found to be unsound, 
because " the Lord hath not spoken " to that effect. 

18. What does the Lord say will become of this wall thus daubed 

with untempered mortar? 

" Say vmto them which daub it with untempered mortar, that it shall fall ; there 
shall be an overflowing shower ; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall ; and a 
stormy wind shall rend it.'''' Eze. 13:11. 

19. When are these hailstones to fall? 

" Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow ? or hast thou seen the treas- 
ures of the hail, which L have reserved against the time of trouble, against the 
day of battle and war .? " Job 38 : 22, 23. 

20. Under which of the seven last plagues will this battle take 

place ? 

" And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air ; . . . and the cities of 
the nations fell ; . . . and every island fled away, and the mountains were 
not found. And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone 
about the weight of a talent." Rev. 16 : 17-21. 

2 1. In order to prepare his people for that terrible time, what does 
God expect his ministers to do ? 

" Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of 
Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord." Eze. 13 : 5. 

2 2. Instead of their trying to close the breach made in God's law (the 
loss of the Sabbath), and so make up the hedge, what will 
they do ? 
"They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying. The Lord saith ; and the 
Lord hath not sent them ; and they have made others to hope that they would 
confirm the word." Verse 6. 

23. During these closing scenes, what message will God send forth 
to call attention to his commandments ? 



SN^^k^W RLVO?.^. 133 



" And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship 
the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his foi-ehead, or in his hand, 
the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God. . . . Here is the 
patience of the saints ; here are they that keep the commandttients of God, and 
the faith of Jesus.'''' Rev. 14:9-12. 

Note. — This message is the last before the Lord comes. Under it will be two 
classes of people, one having the mark of the beast (the Roman Church), and 
the other keeping the commandments of God. These latter are in the minor- 
ity, or they would not need so much patience. Patience supposes trials ; oth- 
erwise no patience is required. These, then, will meet opposition and persecu- 
tion. 

24. How are those of the remnant church treated? 

" And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the rem- 
nant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testi- 
mony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12 : 17. 

25. And when the earth is made new, and God's people are saved 

therein, how often will they all come to worship before him ? 
"And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one 
Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord." 
Isa. 66 : 23. The Sabbath of Eden will be restored when Eden itself shall be 
brought back to God's people. The same reason will then exist for keeping 
the Sabbath that existed in the days of Adam, before he lost his right to the 
tree of life ; hence the necessity of a message calling for people to keep the 
Sabbath as a preparatory work to fit them for that blessed state. 

26. Will the tree of life also be restored to the saints ? 

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they j?iay have right to the tree 
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22: 14. 
Everything pure and holy will then be restored, and the obnoxious weed 
planted by the Roman Church to take the honor of the plant started by the 
hand of Jehovah, will then be rooted up. That time is near. All may now 
heed the word of God, and accept the closing message of the third angel to 
the world, and so be counted among those who will be called The repairers 
of the breach, and The restorers of paths to dwell in. 



0T% 




[i34l 



THE CRUCIFIXION. 









OW many plans of salvation has God instituted ? 

"Neither is there salvation in any other; for ^/ie7'e is none other name 
under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. 

2. Was the gospel preached as far back as Abraham's time ? 

"And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, 
preached before the gospel unto Abraham.^'' Gal. 3 : 8. 

3. Did Moses believe in Christ? 

'■'■Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt ; for 
he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Heb. ii : 26. 

4. Can any one be saved without faith ? 

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord 
Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1; Heb. 10 : 38 ; 11 : 6. 

5. But will faith alone save any one ? 

"But wilt thou know, O vain man, X}i\2X faith without works is deadf'' James 
2 : 20. 

6. What brought death to the human family ? 

" Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and so death 
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5 : 12. 

7. What gave sin the power to enforce death ? 

" The sting of death is sin ; and the strength of sin is the law.'''' I Cor. 15 : 56. 

8. Then does not the existence of sin and death presuppose the pres- 

ence of the law ? 

" For until the law, sin was in the world : but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 
Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses." Rom. 5 : 13, 14. 

[135] 



186 B\^^L RLk^VHG.S. 



9. How was the decree of death enforced upon Adam ? 
' ' And now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, 
and live forever.'''' " So he drove out the man : and he placed at the east of 
the garden of Eden cherubim, and a flaming sword which turned every way, 
to keep the way of the tree of life." Gen. 3 : 22, 24. 

10. How may Adam's posterity regain what he lost ? 

" For the wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal life through yesiis 
Christ our Lord.''' Rom. 6 : 23 ,• John 3 : 16. 

11. Who will obtain everlasting life? 

" He that hath the Son hath life ; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not 
hfe." I John 5 : 12. 

12. How early was it determined that Christ should die for the world? 
" And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written 

in the book of life of the Lajnb slain from the foundation of the world.'''' Rev. 
13:8. Then Abel (Heb. 11:4), Moses (Heb. 11:23-25), Abraham (Gal. 
3 : 8), and all the patriarchs, must have had faith in a Saviour who would 
come to die for the sins of the world. 

13. In the old dispensation what did those do who had sinned, and 

wished forgiveness ? 

"Or if his sin which he hath sinned, come to his knowledge : then he shall bring 
his offering, a kid of the goats, a female without blemish, for his sin which he 
hath sinned.'''' Lev. 4 : 28. 

14. Could these offerings remove sin ? 

" For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take aM^ay sins." 
Heb. 10 : 4. 

15. What did the law of offerings have, if not the power to cleanse 

from sin ? 

"For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image 
of the things, can never with those sacrifices, which they offered year by year 
continually, make the comers thereunto perfect." Verse I. 

16. What were the "good things" shadowed forth by these cere- 

monies ? 

_" But Christ being come a high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more 
perfect tabernacle, not made with hands." Heb. 9:11. 

17. When Christ died, what became of the law that regulated those 

ceremonies ? 

" Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the lazv of commandments contained 
in ordinances.'''' Eph. 2 : 15. 

18. What ceremonies do we now observe to show our faith in the suf- 

ferings and death of Christ ? 
"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's 
death till he come." i Cor. 11 : 26. 



CV\R\S^ "THL \NM OV UVL. 137 

19. Does the instrument that pointed out sin before the death of 

Christ, still remain ? 

" Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight ; 
for by the lazv is the knozvledge of sin.'''' Rom, 3 : 20. See verse 31. 

20. What will be its final office ? 

" For there is no respect of persons with God. For as many as have sinned with- 
out law shall also perish without law ; and as viany as have sinned in the law 
shall be judged by the law.'''' Rom. 2 : ii, 12. 

21. How and when will life be restored to the righteous? 

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first : then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with 
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with 
the Lord." I Thess. 4 : 16, 17. 

2 2. What will be found in the saints' eternal home, that was once in 
Eden ? 
*' And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out 
of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and 
on either side of the river, was the7'e the tree of life.'''' Rev. 22 : I, 2. 

23. Adam, through disobedience, deprived the human race of their 
right to the tree of life ; how may we regain that right? 

" Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree 
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Verse 14. 



fHOU art the Way ; to thee alone, 
From sin and death we flee ; 
And he who would the Father seek, 
Must seek him, Lord, by thee. 

Thou art the Truth ; thy word alone, 

True wisdom can impart ; 
Thou only canst inform the mind. 

And purify the heart. 



Thou art the Life ; the rending tomb 
Proclaims thy conquering arm ; 

And those who put their trust in thee, 
Nor death nor hell shall harm. 

Thou art the Way, the Truth, the Life 
Grant us that way to know. 

That truth to keep, that life to win, 
Whose joys eternal flow. 





^ate of the ^^i^ansgressoi^. 

pj^^EGARDING the wicked, what question does Peter ask? 

" For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God ; and 
if it first begin at us, wJiat shall the end be of tliem that obey 7tot the 
gospel of God? " I Peter 4:17. 

2. What does Paul say is the wages of sin? 

"For the wages of sin is death.''^ Rom. 6 : 23 ; Eze. 18 :4. Die. — To 
cease to live ; to expire ; to decease ; to perish. — Webster, 

. What will be the character of this death ? 

"Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the 
Lord, and from the glory of his power." 2 Thess. 1:9; Acts 3 : 23 ; Matt. 
10:28. Destroy. — To kill; to slay ; to ruin; to extirpate; to put an end 
to. — Webster. 

. What does the Saviour say will befall those who do not repent? 

" I tell you, Nay ; but, except ye repent, ye shall all likezuise perish.'''' Luke 13 : 
3 ; I Cor. I : 18 ; Job 20 14-6. Perish. — To die ; to lose life ; to wither 
and decay ; to be destroyed ; to come to nothing ; to be blotted from exist- 
ence. — Webster, 

[138] 



VML ov -WA^ ^R^nsoR^sso?.. 139 

5. In what condition does the apostle say they shall thus perish? 

"But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of 
the things that they understand not ; and shall utterly perish in their otvn 
corruption.'''' 2 Peter 2 : 12. 

6. To what are the wicked in their punishment compared ? 

" But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of 
lainbs ; they shall consume; into smoke shall they consiivie atvayy Ps. 
37:20. Consume. — To destroy by separating the parts of a thing by de- 
composition, as by fire, etc.; to bring to utter ruin; to exterminate. — 
Webster. 

7. What will be the result of this punishment? 

" As the whirlwind passeth, so is the zuicked no more ; but the righteous is an ever- 
lasting foundation." Prov. 10 : 25. 

8. Will any part of them be left ? 

" For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven ; and all the proud, yea, 
and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble ; and the day that cometh shall 
burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor 
branch.''' Mai. 4:1. 

9. What will then be their condition ? 

" For as ye have drunk upon my holy mountain, so shall all the heathen drink con- 
tinually ; yea, they shall drink, and they shall swallow down, and they shall 
be as though they had not been.'" Obad. 16. 

10. Where will \}i\Q place of the wicked then be? 

"For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be ; yea, thou shalt diligently 
consider his place, and it shall not be.''' Ps. 37 : 10. It would be difficult to 
keep the wicked in eternal torment without any place even, in which to exist. 

11. The earth in its present condition is and has been i\iQ place of the 

wicked. Where will they receive their recompense, — death, 
which is the wages of sin ? 

" Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth ; much more the wicked 
and the sinner." Prov. 11 :3i. 

12. How is this accomplished? 

" And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the 
saints about, and the beloved city ; and fire came down from God out of 
heaven, and devoured them.'' Rev. 20:9. 

13. Do the wicked go directly to this punishment at death? If not, 

when do they receive it ? 

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the 
unjust unto the day of Judgment to be punished." 2 Peter 2:9; Job 
21 : 29, 30. 



140 VI\1L OV TVAL TRKHSGvR^SSOR. 

14. The earth, the sinner's "place," has been cursed with sin. To 

what is that reserved ? 

"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in 
store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgmejit and perdition of ungodly 
men.'''' 2 Peter 3 : 7. Both earth and sinners wait for the fires of the last 
day. 

15. What will be the result of this fire on the earth? 

" Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens 
being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat.'''' 
Verse 12. 

16. What does our Saviour call the earth when in this condition? 

"The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of Hs 
kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity ; and shall cast 
them into a furnace of fire.'''' Matt. 13 : 41, 42. 
Note, — Satan and the wicked now have this world as their "place." When 
Christ comes, it becomes his, and he proceeds at once to cleanse it from sin 
and sinners, preparatory to giving it to the saints of the Most High. 

17. After the burning of the earth, what is to come ? 

" Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, 
wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3:13. The "place" of the 
wicked no longer exists. That, too, will be gone. 

18. But where will the righteous then be found? 

"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." 
Matt. 13 :43. 

19. What promise of the Saviour's will at that time be verified ? 
" Blessed are the meek ; for they shall inherit the earth.''' Matt. 5 : 5. 

20. What universal song will be sung ? 

'■'■And every creature which, is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, 
and such aS are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, 
and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and 
unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5 : 13. 




G^erlasting Punishment. 




HEN the wicked have once received their punishment, how 
enduring will be its effect? 

"And these shall go away into everlasting punishment ; but the righteous 
into life eternal." Matt. 25 : 46. 

. What is the punishment for sin ? 

"For the wages of sin is death ; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus 
Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:23. This is the very opposite of eternal life. 
Everlasting punishment, then, is everlasting death — a death that lasts forever. 

. How many deaths are there for the wicked ? 

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and 
whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their 
part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone ; which is the second 
death:' Rev. 21 : 8. 
Note. — Good and bad men are alike subject to the first death, but this is a tem- 
poral death, which lasts only till the resurrection. After the cases of all men 
are settled in the judgment, the wicked then die the second death, which is 
eternal in its effects. See reading on "The Judgment," p. 75. 

\. In this fire will there be torment? and how long will it last ? 

" He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, 
and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth 
w^ forever and ever:'' Rev. 14:10, ii. 
Note. — The Greek term translated in this text "forever and ever," has different 
meanings, according to the connection in which it is used, such as, duration, 
finite or infinite ; unlimited duration ; eternity ; a period of duration, past or 
future ; time, age, lifetime ; the world, universe. — Greenfield. 

. How is the term understood in the case of certain Hebrew 
servants ? 

" His master shall bore his ear through with an awl ; and he shall serve him for- 
ever :' Ex. 21:6. He could not serve his master longer than he lived. 

. For how long a time did Samuel's mother lend him to the Lord to 
serve in the temple ? 

" I will bring him, that he may appear before the Lord, and there abide forever:'' 
•' Therefore also I have lent him to the Lord ; as long as he liveth he shall be 
Sam. I : 22, 28. In this case it is definitely stated to 

[141] 



lent to the Lord. 




[142] 



BURNING OF SODOM AND GOMORRAH. 



L\IL^\.KS^\UO ?V^H\SV\>J\LH'\. 143 

be "as long as he liveth." Had Samuel lived only a week or a month, the 
" forever " w^ould have been limited to a week or a month. It is evident that 
the X^xxTi forever means " as long as the subject is capable of. " 

7. How long was Jonah carried in the whale's belly through the 

depths ? 

"I went down to the bottoms of the mountains ; the earth with her bars was about 
vie forever.'''' Jonah 2 : 6. In this case "forever" is limited to three days. 

8. What is the nature of the fire into which the wicked will finally 

be cast? 

"Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, 
into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his angels." Matt. 25 :4I. 

9. What is said of this fire in another place ? 

"He will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner ; but he 
will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.'''' Matt. 3 : 12. 
Note. — The fire is said to be everlasting because it is not quenched. If fire is 
quenched after taking hold upon a house, the structure is saved ; but if the 
fire is unquenchable, it does for the house just what the last-quoted text says it 
will do with the chaff (the wicked), namely, burn it UP. This is why it is 
called " everlasting," because it lasts as long as there is anything for it to prey 
upon, and also because its results are everlasting. 

10. Has everlasting or eternal fire evei been visited upon men in the 
past? 

" Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about them in like manner, giving 
themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for 
an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.'''' Jude 7. 

n. What was the result of this eternal fire upon those cities ? 

" And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes condemned them with 
an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live un- 
godly." 2 Peter 2:6. " Everlasting" fire converted these cities into ashes, 
and the apostle says they were made an ensample to those who should after 
live ungodly. We cannot for a moment suppose that those cities are now 
burning ; for the saline waters of the Dead Sea roll over the very spot where 
they stood. 

12. What will be the final effect of this fire on the wicked ? 

" Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction froDi the presence of the Lord, 
and from the glory of his power.'' ^ 2 Thess. I 19. 

13. Where must one go to escape from the presence of the Lord and 

the glory of his power ? 

"Whither shall I flee from thy presence ? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art 
there : ... if I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost 
parts of the sea, even there shall thy hand lead me." Ps. 139 : 7-10. 
Note. — It is certain that when the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth as the 
waters cover the sea (Hab. 2 : 14), to punish one with everlasting destruction 
from the "presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power," would be 
to put him out of existence ; and as the psalmist says : His place shall not 
be. Ps. 37: 10. Then the righteous shall inherit the earth, and "delight 
themselves in the abundance of peace." 



4' 



:im f\EST FKQ/A rrtElf\lABQR) 

AnDTHElll,W9R!\S PQ FQLLQWTHE^ 




Asleep in Jesus ! Soon to rise, 
V/hen the last trump shall rend 

the skies ; 
Then burst the fetters of the tomb. 
And wake in full, immortal bloom. 



^be Intermediate gtate, 

^Y what figure does the Bible represent death? 



'•y/J " But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning ihein which 
are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." I Thess. 
4 : 13 ; I Cor. 15 : 18, 20 ; John 11 : 11-14. In sound sleep one is wholly lost 
to consciousness ; time goes by unmeasured ; and the functions of the mental 
organs are suspended for the time being. 

2. Where do the dead sleep? 

" And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake." Dan. 12:2. 

3. How long will they sleep there ? 

"So man lieth down, and riseth not ; //// tJie heavens be no viore, they shall not 
awake, nor be raised out of their sleep." Job 14 : 12. 

4. What must take place before Job could expect to awake ? 

" If a man die, shall he live again ? all the days of my appointed time will I wait, 
till my change co77ie.'''' Verse 14. 

5. Where does he wait? 

'■'■ If I wait, the grave is mine house ; I have made my bed in the darkness." Job 
17:13. 

6. While in this condition, what does one know of those he has left 

behind ? 

" His sons come to honor, and he knoweth it not ; and they are brought low, but he 
perceiveth it not of them." Job 14 : 21. 

7. In what condition are the thoughts of the dead ? 

"His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth ; in that very day his thoughts 
perish.'''' Ps. 146 14. 

[ 144 ] 



1V\L \UTL^UL\^\K^L SIKIL. 145 

8. Do the dead know anything ? 

" For the living know that they shall die : bid the dead know tiot anything, neither 
have they any more a rev^^ard ; for the memory of them is forgotten." Eccl. 
9 = 5- 

9. What part, if any, do they take in earthly things ? 

"Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished ; neither have 
they any more a portion forever in anything that is done under the sun." 
Eccl. 9:6. . 

Note. — If one continued in consciousness after death, he wovdd know of the 
promotion or dishonor of his sons. But Job says he does not know this. 
Then if, as stated in the last text quoted, in death one loses all the attributes 
of his mind, as love, hatred, envy, etc., it is plain that his thoughts have per- 
ished, and that he can have nothing more to do with living objects. Again, 
if man in death prolongs his powers of thought, he lives ; and if he lives 
he must be somewhere. Where is he ? Is he in heaven, or hell ? If in either 
place immediately after death, what is the necessity of a judgment in the end 
of the world to decide his case ? Is there a possibility that some have at 
death gone to the wrong place, and must needs be sent to the other, after 
having been in bliss or torment for ages, perhaps ? 

10. What does the psalmist say about the dead's praising the Lord? 

" The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go doAvn into silence." Ps. 
115 : 17. 

11. How much does one know of God when dead? 

" For in death there is no remembrance of iheey Ps. 6:5. 
Note. — There is not even a remembrance of God. As already seen, the Bible 
everywhere represents the dead as asleep. If they were in heaven or hell, 
would it be fitting to represent them thus ? Was Lazarus, whom Jesus loved, 
in heaven when the Saviour said : "Our friend Lazarus sleepeth " ? John 
II : II. If so, calling him to life was really robbing him of the bliss of hea- 
ven that rightly belonged to him. 

12. But are not the righteous dead in heaven ? 

" For David is not ascended into the heavens." Acts 2 : 34. 

13. If the dead cannot praise God, what must take place to enable 

them to do so ? 

"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. A^vake 
and sing, ye that diuell in dust ; for thy dew" is as the dew of herbs, and the 
earth shall cast out the dead." Isa. 26 : 19. 

14. What was the only thing with which David would be satisfied ? 

"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness : I shall be satisfied, when I 
azvake, with thy likeness.'''' Ps. 17 : 15. 

15. If there should never be an awakening of the dead, what would be 

the result ? 

10 



146 IHL \H^^R\AL\i\M£ SIKT^. 

"For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised ; and if Christ be not raised, 
your faith is vain ; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen 
asleep in Christ are perished.'''' I Cor. 15 : 16-18. 

16. When does the resurrection of the righteous take place? 

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first. ''^ I Thess. 4 : 16. 
Note. — If, as we have learned (Eccl. 9 : 5), the dead know not anything, then 
they will certainly have no knowledge of the lapse of time. A thousand years 
will be to them as a day or a moment. To go down to the grave, and wait 
till the resurrection, even though it be a thousand years, will be to those who 
experience it like a sudden transition from this life to the next. It ought to 
be a consoling thought to one whose life has been filled with anxiety and grief 
for loved ones who persist in wickedness, to know that they will in death 
be spared torment. Again, it would mar the felicity of one's enjoyment in 
heaven if he could look upon earth, and see his friends and relatives mal- 
treated by strangers, or suffering from cold and hunger. It is wise that God 
has ordered it as expressed by the patriarch: "His sons come to honor, 
and he knoweth it not ; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it 
not of them." Job 14 : 21. 



ta)EST for the toiling hand, 
V Rest for the anxious brow, 

Rest for the weary, way-worn feet, 
Rest from all labor now. 

Soon shall the trump of God 
Give out the welcome sound 

That shakes the silent chamber walls, 
And breaks the turf-sealed ground. 

Ye dwellers in the dust. 

Awake ! come forth and sing ; 

Sharp has your frost of winter been, 
But bright shall be your spring. 

'T was sown in weakness here, 
'T will then be raised in power ; 

That which was sown an earthly seed 
Shall rise a heavenly flower. 




_ ^AME the principal result of man's fall. 

fi))jfl]ml\ "Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, 

and death by sin; and so death passed upon all ?nen, for that all have 
sinned." Rom. 5 : 12. 

2. In what condition is man while in the grave ? 

"Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might ; for there is no work, 
nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdojn, in the grave, whither thou goest." 
Eccl. 9 : 10. That is, man, when dead, has no exercise of the powers of his 
mind. He cannot, therefore, while in the grave, praise God or even think of 
him (Ps. 6:5); for in the day he dies his thoughts perish. Ps. 146 : 2-4. 

3. What has been promised in order that man may be redeemed from 

this condition ? 

" I will ransom thein from the power of the grave ; I will redeem them from death : 
O death, I will be thy plagues ; O grave, I will be thy destruction." Hosea 
13 : 14. 

4. Through whom will come this redemption from the grave ? 

"For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.'''' I Cor. 
15 : 21, 22 ; John 5 : 26-29. 

5. What would be the result to the dead had not Christ procured 

their release from the grave ? 

"For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised : and if Christ be not raised, 
your faith is vain ; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also zvhich are fallen 
asleep in Christ are perished.'''' I Cor. 15 : 16-18. 

6. Where are the dead when they hear the voice of Christ calling 

them to life ? 

"Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the 
graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." John 5 : 28, 29. 

7. How many distinct classes will have a resurrection ? 

"There shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the -lust and tmjiist.'''' Acts 
24:15. 

8. When will the resurrection of the just occur ? 

[147] 



148 TH^ RLSViR^^OT\OH, 



'■'■Yox the Lord himself shall descend from heaven zoith a shout ^ with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first." I Thess. 4 : l6 ; l Cor. 15 : 23. 

9. How long do the others wait after the first resurrection ? 

"■^ And they [the righteous] //z/<?^ and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But 
the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. 
This is the first resurrection." Rev. 20 : 4, 5. 

10. When are the righteous recompensed ? 

" For thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.'''' Luke 14 : 14. 

11. In what condition did David expect to rise ? 

"As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness : I shall be satisfied, tvhen I 
awake, with thy likeness.'''' Ps. 17 : 15. 

12. What great contrast will be seen between the present body, and 

the one to be put on at the resurrection ? 

" So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in 
incorruption ; it is sowit in dishonor, it is raised in glory ; it is sozvn in zveak- 
ness, it is raised in power ; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual 
body.^'' I Cor. 15 : 42-44. 

13. After whose body will the resurrected ones be fashioned ? 

"We look for the Saviour, the Lord lesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, 
that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body.'" Phil. 3 : 20, 21. 

14. What will the righteous do upon rising from the grave ? 

"Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake 
and sitig, ye that dwell in dust ; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the 
earth shall cast out the dead." Isa. 26 : 19 ; i Cor. 15 : 55. 

15. How long will they be permitted to live ? 

" Neither can they die any more ; for they are equal unto the angels ; and are the 
children of God, being the children of the resurrection." Luke 20 : 36. 

16. What will become of those who are unworthy of a part in the 

first resurrection? 

"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers and whore- 
mongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the 
lake which burneth with fire and brimstone ; which is the second death. ' ' 
Rev. 21 : 8. 

17. What will then take place? 

"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." i Cor. 15 : 26. 

18. How will the righteous ever afterward appear ? 

"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. 
Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." Matt. 13 : 43. 




Suffei^ings of G^^^^t, 




HY did Christ come into the world ? 

"This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ 
^] Jesus came into the world to save sinners ; of whom I am chief." 

I Tim. I : 15. 

2. What prompted God to give his Son to die for man ? 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoso- 
ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 
3:16; I John 4:9, 10 ; Rom. 5 : 8. 

3. What did the prophet say Christ would be called to endure? 

" He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth ; he is 
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is 
dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from 
judgment ; and who shall declare his generation ? for he was cut off out of 
the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was he stricken." 
Isa. 53 : 7, 8. 

4. Must not Christ have known beforehand of these things ? 

"Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them. Behold, we go up to 
Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son 
of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, 
and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on ; and they shall 
scourge him, and put him to death." Luke 18 : 31-33. 

5. How did the Saviour feel when the sins of the world were 

rolling upon him ? 

" And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sor- 
rowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sor- 
rowful, even unto death; tarry ye here, and watch with me." Matt. 
26:37,38. 

6. In his distress, for what did he pray ? 

"And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my 
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me ; 7tevertheless not as I will, 
but as thou wilt.'''' Verse 39. 

[149] 




[ISO] 



And Being in an Agony, He Prayed More Earnestly. 



SV^VV'lR\UG.S OV GV\\\\S1. 151 



7. How great was the agony of his soul ? 

"And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly ; and his sweat was as it were 
great drops of blood falling down to the ground.'' '' Luke 22 : 44. 

8. After this remarkable prayer, what happened to cause him more 

grief ? 

"And while he yet spake, behold a multitude, and he that was called Judas ^ one 
of the twelve, went before them, and drew near unto Jesus to kiss him. But 
Jesus said unto him, Ju.i'as, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" 
Verses 47, 48. 

9. To what place was he taken ? 

"Then took they him, and led him, and brought him into the high priesfs house. 
And Peter followed afar off." Verse 54. 

10. While at the high priest's house, what act of Peter's caused the 

Saviour additional suffering? 

" Another confidently affirmed, saying. Of a truth this fellow also was with him ; 
for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. 
And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew. And the Lord turned, 
and looked upon Peter. ^'' Verses 59-61. 

11. What reproachful things were done to Christ while he was at 

the high priest's house ? 

" And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him. And when they had 
blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Proph- 
esy, who is it that smote thee ? " Verses 63, 64. 

12. Where was Christ next taken? 

"And as soon as it was day, the elders of the people and the chief priests and the 
scribes came together, and led hijn into their council. ' ' Verse 66. 

13. What was their object in taking him there, since it was not in 

their power judicially to sentence him ? 

" Then said they all. Art thou then the Son of God ? And he said unto them, Ye 
say that I am. And they said. What need we any further witness ? for we 
ourselves have heard of his own mouth." Verses 70, 71. 

14. Having procured the pretext they sought, what did they next do ? 
" And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate.''^ Lvike 23 : I. 

15. When Pilate desired to let Christ go, how did they remonstrate? 

" And they were the more fierce, saying. He stirreth up the people, teaching 
throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place." Verse 5. 

16. When Pilate heard that Christ had been in Galilee, what did he do? 

" And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him 
to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. ' ' Verse 7. 



152 ^\^LL RLN^\UGS. 



17. Did the chief priests and scribes follow Christ before Herod? 

"And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehetftentiy accused hifji.'''' Verse lo. 

18. What indignity did Herod put upon the Saviour? 

"And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, a ftd mocked him, and arrayed 
hit7i in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate." Verse 1 1. 

19. When Christ was again brought before Pilate, what did Pilate pro- 

pose to do ? 

" I have found no cause of death in him : 1 7vill therefore chastise him, and let hijjz 
go.'''' Verse 22. 

20. At this proposition, how did Christ's accusers act ? 

" And they were instant [earnest] zvith loud voices, requiring that he might be cru- 
cified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed." Verse 23. 

21. Besides yielding to the clamors of the Jews, what cruelty did Pilate 

inflict upon Christ ? 

"Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him." John 19 : i. 

2 2. What shameful treatment did he receive from the soldiers ? 

" And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a 
reed in his right hand ; and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked 
him, saying. Hail, King of the Jews ! And they spit upon hitn, and took the 
reed, and smote him on the head." Matt. 27 129, 30. 

23. After bringing him to the place of crucifixion, what did they offer 

him to stupefy him ? 

"They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall ; and when he had tasted 
thereof, he would not drink." Verse 34. 

24. What prayer did he utter as they were nailing him to the cross ? 

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive tliem ; for they know not what they do.'''' 
Luke 23 : 34. 

25. With what words did they taunt him while on the cross ? 

" Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said. 
He saved others ; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let 
him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.'''' Matt. 27:41, 42. 

26. As he cried out in agony on the cross, what was again offered him? 

"And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, 
and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink." Verse 48. 

27. What closed this terrible scene? 

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished ; and he 
bowed his head and gave up the ghost,'''' John 19 : 30. 



SV^VV^H\UGS OV ev\R\S'\. 153 

28. What wonderful demonstration attested nature's sympathy with 

the dying Son of God ? 

" And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until 
the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the vail of the temple zvas 
rent in the midst." Luke 23 : 44, 45. 

29. Was it necessary for Christ thus to suffer ? 

" For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in 
bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect 
through sufferings." Heb. 2 : 10. 

30. If Christ was permitted to suffer all this for us, what does it show ? 

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, hmv shall he 
not ivith hi77i also freely give tis all tilings ? " Rom. 8 : 32. 



'rniS midnight ; and on Olives' brow 

J_ The star is dimmed that lately shone : 
'Tis midnight ; in the garden, now. 
The suffering Saviour prays alone. 

'Tis midnight ; and from all removed, 
The Saviour wrestles lone with fears ; 

E'en that disciple whom he loved 

Heeds not his Master's grief and tears. 

'Tis midnight ; and for others' guilt 
The Man of sorrows weeps in blood ; 

Yet he who hath in anguish knelt. 
Is not forsaken by his God. 

'T is midnight ; and from ether plains 
Is borne the song that angels know ; 

Unheard by mortals are the strains 

That sweetly soothe the Saviour's woe. 

\N\^^\^v^ ^. Tkppi\h. 





\\)bat is Man? 

^N his creation, with whom is man compared ? 

" What is man, that thou art mindful of him ? or the son of man, that thou 
visitest him ? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels.'' Heb. 
2 :6, 7. 

2. What is the nature of angels ? 

= But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrec- 
tion from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage ; neither can 
they die any juore ; for they are equal unto the angels ; and are the children 
of God, being the children of the resurrection."" Luke 20 : 35, 36. 

3. What are angels called ? 

"And of the angels he saith. Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a 
flame of fire." Heb. I : 7. 

4. What is the difference between the two Adams ? 

" And so it is written. The first man Adam was made a living soul ; the last Adam 
was made a quickening spirit."" i Cor. 15 145. 

5. Adam was made a living soul ; but was he not a spiritual man ? 
"Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural ; and 

afterward that which is spiritual." Verse 46. 

6. When does man become a spiritual being? 

" It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, 
and there is a spiritual body." Verse 44. 

7. To what does the sowing refer? 

" So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption, it is raised in 
incorruption. " Verse 42. 

[154] 



^WVAPk'\ \S VKNH7 155 



Note. — Man does not have the undying, spiritual nature of the angels until the 
resurrection. Then, if righteous, he cannot die any more (Luke 20 : 36), 
because he is " eqiml unto the angels." 

8. How is man's nature here defined? 

" Shall mortal man be more just than God ? " Job 4:17. Mortal. — " Subject to 
death." — Webster. 

9. What is God's nature ? 

"Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor 
and glory forever and ever. Amen." I Tim. I : 17. Immortal. — "Ex- 
empt from liability to die." — Webster. 

10. Of what was man formed in the beginning? 

"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground.'''' Gen. 2 : 7, first 
part. 

11. What act made him a living soul ? 

" And [God] breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; and man became a liv- 
ing soul." Gen. 2 : 7, latter part. 
Notes. — The living soul was not put into the man ; but the breath of life 
which was put into man, made him — the man, made of the earth — a living 
soul, or creature. 

The original word for "living soul" in this text is nephesh chaiyah. On 
the use of this word in Gen. I : 24, Dr. A. Clarke says : "A general term to 
express all creatures endued with animal life, in any of its infinitely varied 
gradations, from the half-reasoning elephant down to the stupid potto, or 
lower still, to the polyp, which seems equally to share the vegetable and an- 
imal life." 

Prof. George Bush, in his notes on Gen. 2:7, says : " The phrase ' living 
soul ' is in the foregoing narrative repeatedly applied to the inferior orders of 
animals, which are not considered to be possessed of a ' soul ' in the sense in 
which that term is applied to man. It would seem to mean the same, there- 
fore, when spoken of man, that it does when spoken of beasts; viz., an 
animated being, a creature possessed of life and sensation, and capable of 
performing all the physical functions by which animals are distinguished, as 
eating, drinking, walking, etc. . . . Indeed, it may be remarked that the 
Scriptures generally afford much less explicit evidence of the existence of a 
sentient, immaterial principle in man, capable of living and acting separate 
from the body, than is usually supposed." 

12. Are others besides man called "living souls " in the Bible ? 

" And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea ; and it became as the 
blood of a dead man ; and every living soul died in the sea.'''' Rev. 16 : 3. 
See also Gen. i 130, margin. 

13. Do Other creatures besides man have the "breath of life"? 

" And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of 
beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every 
man ; all in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry 
land, died." Gen. 7 :2i, 22. 



156 ^\BLL RLI\D\HGS. 



14. Is theirs the same breath as man's ? 

"As the one dieth, so dieth the other ; yea, tJuy have all one breath ; so that a 
man hath no pre-eminence above a beast ; for all is vanity." Eccl. 3 : 19. 
Note. — Every creature has the breath of life, and lives by the power of God 
just the same as man. When once that breath of life is taken away from ei- 
ther, one is just the same as the other. Man has no pre-eminence above the 
beast in this respect. If one has a pet creature, and it dies, there is no power 
on earth to restore its life. God alone can do that. This shows that the 
beast has the breath of life from God, just the same as man. If man dies, he 
can only live by being raised from the dead. This has been promised to the 
human race, but not to the beast. 

15. The breath of life from God was breathed into man's nostrils 

in the beginning. What does Job call that which is in the 
nostrils ? 

" All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my jtostrils.'''' Job 
27 :3. 
Note. — That which was breathed into man was the spirit, or breath, of God ; it 
was his life. It was promised to man as long as he would be obedient ; but 
if he sinned, God would take it from him. "With this spirit in the nostrils, 
man, who is "of the earth earthy," is made a "living" soul; when this 
breath of life is taken away, that same man is dead. When man brought the 
penalty for sin into the world, he forfeited the right to the spirit, or breath, of 
life. In other words, he is called to give up the spirit, or ghost. 

16. Can the soul and spirit be separated? 

" For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged 
sword, piercing even to the dividing asiaider of soul a7id spirit.''"' Heb. 4 : 12. 

17. When man gives up the spirit, what becomes of it? 

" Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was : and the spirit shall return unto 
God zuho gave it.^'' Eccl. 12 : 7. That is, the spirit of life by which man 
lived, and was only loaned to him of God, goes back to the great Author of 
life. It is his, and man can have it eternally, only as a gift from God, through 
Jesus Christ. Rom. 6 : 23. When the spirit goes back to God, the dust, 
which was in the beginning made a " living soul," goes back as it was, to the 
earth. 

18. Can one have the spirit of life with him eternally, unless he has 

Christ? 

" He that hath the Son hath life ; and he that hath not the Son of God, hath not 
life^ I John 5 : 12. 
Note. — The veriest sinner and reviler of Christ has this temporal life ; but when 
he yields this up, he has no prospect that eternal life will be given to him, as 
that can be received only through Christ. 

19. Why were the first guilty pair driven from the tree of life ? 

" And now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and 
live forever ; therefore the Tord God sent him forth from the garden of 
Eden." Gen. 3 : 22, 23. 



\NHK"\ \S VJ\NH? 157 



20. Who restores this lost privilege to the faithful believers ? 

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is 
our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory,'''' Col. 
3 : 3, 4- 

21. The word wimortal occurs but once in the English Bible (1 Tim. 

1:17), and is there applied to God ; are any others said to 
have immortality ? 

" Who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords ; who 
only hath immortality.'''' I Tim. 6 : 15, 16. 

22. How is death abolished, and this desirable boon brought to 

light ? 

" But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath 
abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gos- 
pel.'''' 2 Tim. I : lo. Then without the gospel one cannot have immortality, 
but the death penalty must abide on him. 

23. How does man obtain immortality ? 

" To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honor and 
immortality, eternal life." Rom. 2 : 7. One does not need to seek for a 
thing which he already possesses. 

24. When will the faithful receive immortality ? 

"Behold, I show you a mystery : We shall not all sleep, but ive shall all be changed, 
in a moment, in the tzvinkling of an eye, at the last trump ; for the trumpet 
shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be 
changed." I Cor. 15 : 51, 52. 

25. What is then to be swallowed up ? 

" So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall 
have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is writ- 
ten, Death is swallowed up in victory.'''' Verse 54. 

26. How is this victory gained ? 

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord yesus 
Christ.'''' Verse 57. 
vSuMMARY. — We have found that man was made of the dust of the ground, and 
caused to live by the breath, or spirit, of life from God. The clay thus ani- 
mated — 7tot the breath of life — is called a "living soul," or creature, accord- 
ing to the original text. Other creatures live by the same process, and some 
of them, at least, are plainly called living souls. When man dies, he knows 
nothing until he lives again, simply because the vitalizing element that caused 
him to live and move and think has been taken from him, and gone back to 
its original Possessor. Unless that were brought back to man, he would be 
forever unconscious in death. But Christ, who is the believer's life, is to ap- 
pear, and bring back to those who seek for it, that life which they forfeited 
through sin. Then, if righteous, man will live on as Adam would have lived, 
had he never committed sin. It is thus that man obtains immortality, if he 
ever enjoys it. 




\_£T V\S VKK\^^ ^kU \U OViP^ \>IKG»L, NVT^?. OViH LW^LUtSS 





£^iY)ing Souls. 

HEN man had been created from the dust, what did he 

become ? 
I "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and 
breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ; and ?nan became a living 
soul.'''' Gen. 2 : 7. 

*,^^* 2. To what other order of beings is the term soul applied ? 
^^^^ " And levy a tribute unto the Lord of the men of war which went out to 
^ battle : one soul oi five hundred, both of the persons, and of the beeves, 

and of the asses, and of the sheep.'''' Num. 31 : 28. 

3. Is the term living soul ^c^'^Xi^di to anything besides man and beast? 

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea ; and it became as the 
blood of a dead man : and every living soul died in the sea.''^ Rev. 16 : 3. 
See note from Bush in preceding reading. 

4. Can a soul suffer thirst ? 

^'' As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country." Prov. 
25 : 25. 

5. May it also suffer hunger? 

" Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger.'''* 
Prov. 19 : 15. 

6. Is it capable of eating? 

" But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace-offerings, that pertain 
unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut 
off from his people." Lev. 7 : 20. 

7. Can it be injured ? 

"And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword." 
Joshua II : ii. 

8. Can the soul die ? 

"Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the 
son is mine : the soul that sinneth, it shall die.'''' Eze. 18 : 4. 

9. What is said of the soul of Christ? 

"Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil 
with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death.^'' Isa; 
53 : 12. 

10. What becomes of the soul at death ? 

"What man is he that liveth, and shall not see death ? shall he deliver his soul 
from the hand of the grave ? " Ps. 89 : 48. 

11. Where did Christ's soul go at his death? 

" He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not 
left in hell [hades], neither his flesh did see corruption." Acts 2:31. His 
soul went into the grave, but was not left there, he being raised the third day. 

[158] 




' Till He come," — let the words 
Linger on the trembling chords; 
Let the li tie while between 
In their golden light be seen ; 
Let us think how heaven and home 
Lie beyond that — " Till He come ' 



^be ^bief on tbe G^^^ss. 

;N answering the thief's petition on the cross, what promise did 
the Saviour make him ? 

"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with 
me in Paradise." Luke 23 : 43. 

2. What noted tree is in Paradise ? 

'* To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst 
of the Paradise of God." Rev. 2 : 7. 

3. By what river is the tree of life ? 

"And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out 
of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and 
on either side of the river was there the tree of life.'''' Rev. 22 : I, 2. 
Note. — It will be seen that the tree of life is not only in Paradise, but is on 
either side of the river which proceeds out from the throne of God. This 
shows that the tree of life and the throne of God are both in the same place, 
and that Paradise is therefore the dwelling-place of God. 

4. How long after Christ's crucifixion, did his resurrection take place ? 

" Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ; and that he was buried, and 
that he rose again the third day.'''' I Cor. 15 : 3, 4. 

5. What did he say to Mary on the day of his resurrection ? 

"Jesus saith unto her. Touch me not ; for I am not yet ascended to my Father.'''' 
John 20 : I 7. 
Note. — This was the third day after the promise to the thief, and yet Christ 
could say he had not been to Paradise since his crucifixion. As no one can for 
a moment question the truthfulness of the Saviour on either of these occasions, 
we must look for harmony between his statements, though it may be at the 
sacrifice of previously cherished opinions. 

[159] 




[t6o] 



"I Am not yet Ascended to My Father. 



IH^ IVWLV OH ^\AL Cv^OSS. 161 

6. What was really the thief 's request ? 

"And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy king- 
dom.'''' Luke 23 : 42. 

7. When had Christ said that he would take his followers to himself? 

"And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto 
myself ; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14 : 3. 

8. When and how will all the righteous, both living and dead, be with 

Christ ? 

" For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first : then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with 
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be zvith 
the Lord.'' i Thess. 4 : 16, 17. 
Note. — It is manifest from these scriptures that the time for taking the righteous 
to dwell with Christ is at his second coming, and not before. Then the peni- 
tent thief, doubtless, will be remembered by the Lord, and given a place in 
his kingdom. The question may then be raised, — 

9. Why did Christ use the word to-day in his answer to the thief? 

Simply to give emphasis to his promise, as that was the usual way of doing 
so. See Zech. 9 : 12. Christ had been proclaiming that he would have a 
kingdom (Luke 19 : 12-15), ^^^ when he was taken by the Jews to be crucified, 
and was actually in the throes of death, his claim was ridiculed (Matt. 27 : 29, 
42), and even his disciples forsook him. The thief, notwithstanding all this, 
believed the Saviour's words, and made his dying request to be admitted into 
that kingdom when it should come. To make his promise emphatic, the 
Saviour said : " Verily I say unto thee to-day,''' — even though my surround- 
ings are apparently giving the lie to my pretensions, — "I say unto thee to-day, 
Thou shalt be with me in Tar ad'ise." A simple change of the comma from 
before "to-day," placing it immediately after that word, solves the whole dif- 
ficulty that may exist in any candid mind, and harmonizes all the scriptures 
on this point ; and this is allowable, since Inspiration has nothing to do with 
the punctuation of the Scriptures. That is of human origin and modern inven- 
tion, and should never establish the meaning of any scripture contrary to its 
harmony with other passages. 





Depai^ting and Being v\?itB G^^ist* 

HEN writing to the Philippians, in what condition did the 
apostle find himself? 

'■'■Y ox I am hi a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be- 
with Christ ; which is far better," Phil, i : 23. 

2. What were the '' two " between which Paul was pressed ? 

" For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is 
the fruit of my labor : yet what I shall choose I wot not." Verses 21, 22. 
It is plainly set forth that Paul had life before him on the one hand, and 
death on the other. It was hard for him to choose which he preferred. If he 
chose the first, that would be Christ to him ; but if death, that would be gain 
to him, because he would be free from temptation, sorrow, and strife. Could 
he go down in death, he felt this would be gain, because his hope was then 
firm (verse 20) ; and if he rested, he was sure of life when the Master should 
come. 

3. What did he desire that was far better ? 

' ' Having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ ; which is far better. ' ' Verse 23, 

4. How may one go to be with Christ ? 

" For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
Jirst ; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with 
them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with 
the Lord-"" i Thess. 4 : 16, 17. See also I Cor. 15 : 51-54 ; 2 Tim, 4 : 7, 8. 
Notes. — The dead are not aware of the lapse of time, from the instant they close 
their eyes in death, as they know "not anything." Eccl. 9:5; Ps. 146 14. 
Then even though one should remain in the grave two thousand years, till the 
coming of Christ, he would not measure time, and it would be the same to 
him as though he had gone directly to the courts of glory. 

John Crellius says : " Because the time between death and the resurrection is 
not to be reckoned, therefore the apostle might speak thus, though the soul has 
no sense of anything after death." 

Dr. Priestly says, "The apostle, considering his own situation, would 
naturally connect the end of this life with the commencement of another and 
better, as he would have no perception of any interval between them. That 
the apostle had no view short of the coming of Christ to judgment, is evident 
from the phrase he makes use of, namely, being with Christ, which can only 
take place at his second coming. For Christ himself has said that he would, 
come again, and that he would take his disciples to himself, which clearly im- 
plies that they were not to be with him before that time." 

[162] 




jpi^bsent from the Bodlf- 

jPON what subject does Paul treat in 2 Cor. 5 : 1-8? 

' For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, 
we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the 
heavens." Verse I. In this verse the present and future condition of 
the believer is spoken of. 

2. While we are here " in our earthly house," in '^ this tabernacle," 

that is, in this present mortal state, what is our condition ? 

" For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which 
is from heaven." "For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being bur- 
dened ; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality 
might be swallowed up of life." Verses 2, 4. 

3. Where else does the apostle express the same fact? 

" For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together 
until now." Rom. 8 : 22. 

4. How many conditions, or states of being, does the apostle bring 

to view ? 

Three: First, a positive state in this present life — clothed with "our earthly 
house " (2 Cor. 5 : i), " this tabernacle " (verse 4) ; second, a negative state, 
called in verse 3 "unclothed" or "naked," that is, when in death, in the 
grave ; third, another positive condition, when mortality is swallowed up of 
life, when we are clothed upon with our house from heaven. Verses 2, 4. 

5. Which one of these conditions did the apostle wait for and desire ? 

" For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which 
is from heaven." Verse 2. 

6. What disclaimer does he utter concerning the second or middle 

state? 

" Not for that we would be unclothed." Verse 4. 

7. How is it proved that Paul looked forward to the redeemed state, 

beyond the resurrection, when he expressed a desire to be 
clothed upon with the house from heaven ? 

[ 163 ] 



164: 'K^SLU^ VROVA IHL ^0\^X . 

By the parallel text in Rom. 8:23: "And not only they, but ourselves also, 
which have the first-fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within our- 
selves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, ///<? redemption of our body.'''' 

8. When is the body to be redeemed ? 

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first." I Thess. 4 : 16. 

9. When is mortality to be swallowed up of life ? 

"Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be 
changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump ; for the 
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall 
be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal 
must put on immortality." I Cor. 15 : 51-54. 
Note. — To be "naked," or " unclothed," must refer to one's condition in death. 
But how can it be said that one is unclothed, if he, as a conscious, disembodied 
spirit, instantly enters the heavenly abode at death ? It can be plainly seen 
that if an immortal soul is the "house from heaven," when the "earthly" 
house, the body, has been redeemed, an individual would have t%vo houses, 
— one more than he would have occasion for. Then again, if the second 
house is the supposed immortal soul, and one has it now in possession in his 
body, it could not be true that it is " eternal in the heavens." On the whole, 
it is evident that the apostle is here treating of the future redeemed body. 

10. If the house from heaven is the future redeemed immortal body, 

how can it be said that " we have " it ? 

" And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in 
his Son.''^ I John 5:11. Hence, " he that hath the Son hath life." Verse 
12. This life we have in prospect, by faith. This life is equivalent to the 
redeemed state, which Paul calls "our house which is from heaven," and 
which we have, or possess, in the same manner. It is eternal in the heavens, 
because it is the fixed and unalterable purpose of God to bestow it upon us. 

11. When, only, is a person fitted to be present with the Lord? 

Not till he is redeemed from all that is mortal and corruptible, i Cor. 15 : 50 ; 
I Thess. 4 : 17. 

12. To what condition, then, does the apostle refer by the words (2 Cor. 

5 : 6), ''At home in the body " ? 
To the first condition spoken of in verse i. 

13. To what condition does he refer by the expression, "To be pres- 

ent with the Lord " ? 

To the third condition. They are not necessarily immediately connected. Some 
time may elapse between them, as we have shown. 





^be Spii^its in pi^ison. 

N what way did Christ suffer for the unjust? 

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that 
he might bring us to God, being put to death in the Jlesk, but quickened 
by the Spirit." i Peter 3 : i8. 

By what was he quickened, or made alive ? 

For Christ also hath once suffered, . . . being put to death in the flesh, 
but quickened by the Spirit.'''' Same verse. 

3. By what did he preach to the spirits in prison ? 

" By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison." Verse 19. That 
is, by the Spirit that raised him from the dead, he preached to spirits that, 
were in prison. The Spirit of God raised Christ from the dead. Rom. 8 : 11 ; 
Acts 2 : 24. 

4. What did the Saviour say he had been anointed to do ? 

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the 
gospel to the poor ; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach 
deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty 
them that are bruised.'''' Luke 4 : 18. 

5. By whom is a man taken into bondage ? 

" For of who?n a fnan is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." 2 Peter 
2 : 19. 

6. Under what is one thus sold into bondage ? 

"For we know that the law is spiritual ; but I am carnal, sold under sin.'''' Rom. 
7:14. 
Note. — ^The prison in which men are found is the condition in which sin binds 
them. Christ came to unloose these bands, and set the prisoners free. 

[165] 




[i66] 



"My Spirit Shall not Always Strive with Man.' 



-IH^ S?\R\TS \H ?R\SOH. 167 

7. When did the Spirit of God preach to these " spirits in prison," 
who were disobedient ? 

"Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in 
the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing." I Peter 3 : 20. 

S. Did the Spirit of God try to deliver the captives of sin in the days 
of Noah ? 

*' And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also 
is flesh ; yet his days shall he a hundred and twenty years." Gen. 6 : 3. 
Note. — The Spirit of God strove with the sinful antediluvians. It also moved 
Noah to build the ark, by which he and his family were saved. Christ came 
to earth "in the flesh" (John i : 14), and in this condition suffered death; 
but before this he was always manifested to the world as the Angel, the 
representative of God. See Ex. 23 : 20-23 5 i Cor. 10 : 1-4. It was in this 
way that he preached through Noah to the spirits in bondage, or prison, dur- 
ing the one hundred and twenty years in which the ark was preparing. 



^^^k-^ 



''OW sad our state by nature is 
^ Our sin — how deep it stains ! 
And Satan holds our captive minds 
Fast in his slavish chains. 

But there's a voice of sovereign grace. 

Sounds from the sacred word ; 

• Ho ! ye despairing sinners, come ! 

And trust a pardoning Lord." 

My soul obeys the almighty call. 

And runs to this relief ; 
I would believe thy promise, Lord ; 

O, help my unbelief ! 

A guilty, weak, and helpless w^orm. 

In thy kind arms I fall ; 
Be thou my Strength and Righteousness, 

My Saviour and my All. 



••"~^^t^^i;^«^5«s?-:. 




^be Rich TVl^in and J^a^ai^us. 

N the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, what is said to have 
become of Lazarus ? 

' And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into 
Abraham' s bosom.'''' Luke i6 : 22. 

2. AVhat befell the rich man ? 

" The rich man also died, and was buried ; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being 
in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom." Verses 
22, 23. 
Note. — The rich man "died, and was buried." The man himself — the very 
being who died — was buried. And he — the man who died and was buried 
— lifted up his "eyes" in hell {hades, the place or state of the dead, the 
grave. See Rev. 20 : 13 ; i Cor. 15 : 55, margin). The beggar "died, and 
was carried " by angels into Abraham's bosom. The beggar — the very same 
that died — was carried to Abraham's bosom. In the narrative, the strictest 
literality is preserved. Nothing is said, or even hinted at, that anything more 
or less than the physical man was in the two places after death. 

3. What request did the rich man make of Abraham ? 

"And he cried and said. Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, 
that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue ; for I am 
tormented in this flame." Verse 24. Here the members of a physical body 
are brought to view, which we know always rest in the grave till the 
resurrection. 

4. Upon making the request for Lazarus to be sent to his father's 

house to warn his brethren, what did Abraham reply ? 

"Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets ; let them hear 
them.'''' Verse 29. 

5. What earnest appeal did the rich man then make? 

[168] 



TVAL R\CV\ ^^H NU\^ \_Mf\HV^S. 169 

" And he said, Nay, father Abraham ; but if one luent unto them from the dead, 
they will repent.'''' Verse 30. It seems that the rich man is represented in 
the parable as understanding that Lazarus was dead, and not in heaven. 
Said he : "If one went unto them from the dead ; " as much as to say, that 
such a miracle would certainly cause them to repent. 

6. But had Lazarus gone on such a mission, what must have taken 

place ? 

"And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they 
be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.'''' Verse 31. This is a plain 
statement that Lazarus was dead, and in the grave. Before he could warn 
others, he must rise from the dead. 

7. When are the wicked punished? 

"The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the 
unjust unto the day of judg?nent to be punished.'''' 2 Peter 2 : 9, 

8. When will the judgment take place ? 

"I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall jttdge 
the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdofu.'''' 2 Tim. 4:1. If 
the wicked are reserved io the day of judgment for their punishment, and the 
judgment takes place only in connection with the coming of Christ, it follows 
that the wicked do not enter upon their punishment at death. 

9. When are the righteous to be recompensed ? 

" And thou shalt be blessed ; for they cannot recompense thee ; for thoti shall be 
recompensed at the resurrection of the just.'''' Luke 14 : 14. 

10. When do the angels gather the elect to Christ? 

"And they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven M'ith power 
and great glory. And he shall send his aiigels with a great sound of a 
trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from 
one end of heaven to the other." Matt. 24 130, 31. 
Note. — Thus far it has been seen that the narrative under consideration deals 
with physical men altogether. Nothing is said about their souls or spirits. 
The parable also states emphatically that Lazarus would have to rise from the 
dead in order to carry out the request of the rich man. Now as we have also 
seen that the wicked do not go to their punishment till after the judgment, 
and that the righteous do not go to their reward till the coming of Christ with 
the angels, we are forced to the conclusion that the Saviour used in this par- 
able a figure of rhetoric known as personification, — a figure in which an 
inanimate being is represented as animated, or endued with personality. By 
this form of speech Christ could forcibly teach what would occur in the future, 
by representing it as already taking place. 

11. Does God in other places speak of things that do not exist, as 

though they did exist? 

" (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations) before him whom 
he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things 
which be not as though they were.''"' Rom. 4:17. 




[i7ol 



AT THE RICH MAN'S GATE. 



1V\L R\CH ^KH KH^ LMKRV^S. 171 

12. Name some instances given in the Old Testament which show that 

the figure of personification is a common mode of expression. 

" For the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall an- 
swer it."" Hab. 2:11; 2 Kings 14 : 9 ; Judges 9 : 7-15 ; Gen. 4 : 10. 

13. Does the New Testament sometimes use the same method ? 

" Behold the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you 
kept back by fraud, crieth.''^ James 5 : 4. 
Note. — The object of the parable was to show that although the Jews claimed 
to be the children of Abraham, and affected to despise the Gentiles, especially 
those who were poor, these despised ones would finally be counted the chil- 
dren of Abraham, while the rich Jew would find himself without any claim to 
the promises made to his natural father, Abraham. The lesson was put in 
the form in which we find it, in order to show the absolute certainty of the 
punishment of one, and the reward of the other. 



>^^^-< 

IKE shadows gliding o'er the plain, 
Or clouds that roll successive on, 

Man's busy generations pass. 

And while we gaze, their forms are gone. 

We live, we die ; behold the sum 
Of good or ill on life's fair page ; 

Alike in God's all-seeing eye. 

The infant's day, the patriarch's age. 

O Father, in whose mighty hand 
The boundless years and ages lie. 

Teach us thy boon of life to prize, 
And use the moments as they fly. 




V0\\ IVAtU IVAM \.OML U\\A." 




imiiiiiiiiUiiiHi^^ 



^ome of tf)e gaved. 

®^0R what purpose was the earth created ? 

"For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens ; God himself that formed 
the earth and made it ; he hath estabhshed it, he created it not in vain., he 
^ formed it to be inhabited.''^ Isa. 45 : 18. 

. Why was man made ? 

'* Thou 7?tadest him to have dofninion over the works of thy hands ; thou hast put 
all things under his feet."" Ps. 8:6; Gen. I : 26 ; Ps. 115:16. 

. Does man now have all these things under him ? 

"Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in 
subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now 
ive see not yet all things put under him.'''' Heb. 2 : 8. 

.. When man lost his dominion, to whom did he yield it ? 

"For of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage." 
2 Peter 2 : 19. Man was overcome by Satan in the garden of Eden, and 
there yielded himself and his possessions into the hands of his captor. 

. What circumstance shows that the earth came into Satan's pos- 
session ? 

"And the Devil, taking him up into a high mountain, showed unto him all the 
kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the Devil said unto him, 
All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them ; for that is delivered 
tctito me ; and to whomsoever I will, I give it.'''' Luke 4:5, 6. 
Note. — This was the occasion of Christ's temptation in the wilderness. It can- 
not be truthfully said that Satan lied, when he told Christ that all the king- 
doms of the world had been delivered into his (Satan's) hand ; for Christ 
knew whether that was so, or not. And if it were not so, and Satan could 
not have delivered up these things if he would, then how could his words have 
been a temptation to Christ ? And yet this is recorded as having been a 
temptation to him to bow down before Satan. 

[172] 



UO^L OV ^\AL SkMLD. 173 



6. Is this first dominion to be restored ? and to whom is it to come ? 

" And thou, O tower of the Jlock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee 
shall it come, even the first dominion ; the kingdom shall come to the daugh- 
ter of Jerusalem." Micah 4: 8. The "tower of the flock" is Christ. 

7. If man lost the dominion through sin and death, through whom will 

it be restored ? 

*' But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of 
death, crowned with glory and honor ; that he by the grace of God should taste 
death for every man.'''' Heb. 2 : 9. 

8. What blessing did our Saviour pronounce upon the meek ? 

*' Blessed are the meek ; for they shall iitherit the earth.'''' Matt. 5 : 5. lliis in- 
heritance cannot be realized in this life ; for here the truly meek have the 
least of earth's good things. 

9. AVho does David say have the most of earthly things ? 

"For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. . . . 
Their eyes stand out with fatness : they have more than heart could tvish.'''' 
Ps. 73 : 3-7. 

10. What is to be the final condition of both righteous and wicked ? 

" Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land : 
zijhen the zvicked are cut off, tJiou shall see it.'''' Ps. 37 : 34. 

11. What promise was made to Abraham concerning the land? 

"And the Lord said unto Abram, after that Lot was separated from him, Lift up 
now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and south- 
ward, and eastward, and westward ; for all the land zvhich thou seest, to thee 
zuill I give it, and to thy SEED forever." Gen. 13 : 14, 15. 

12. How much did this promise comprehend? 

" For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or 
to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith." Rom. 
4: 13- 

13. How much of the land of Canaan did Abraham own in his life- 

time ? 

" And he gave him none inheritance in it, no, not so much as to set his foot on ; yet 
he promised that he would give it to him for a possession, and to his seed after 
him, when as yet he had no child." Acts 7:5; Heb. 11 : 13. 

14. How much of the promised possession did Abraham expect during 

his lifetime ? 

" By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after 
receive for an inheritance, obeyed ; and he went out, not knowing whither he 
went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, 
dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same 
promise ; for he looked for a city zvhich hath foundations, whose builder and 
maker is God.''^ Heb. 1 1 : 8-10. 



174 ^\^^^ RLF\\^\UG.S. 



15. Who is the seed to whom the Abrahamic promise was made? 

" Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to 
seeds, as of many : but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Gal. 
3 '• 16. 



16. Who are counted heirs of that promise 



"And if ye be Chrisfs, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the 
promise." Verse 29. 

17. Why did not these ancient worthies receive the promise ? 

"And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the 
promise, God having provided some better thing for iis, that they without us 
should not be made perfect.'''' Heb. II : 39, 40. 

18. What is to become of the earth in its present state ? 

" But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night ; in the which the hea- 
vens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fer- 
vent heat, the earth also ; and the works that are therein shall be burned up.'''' 
2 Peter 3 : 10 ; Isa. 13:9; 24 : 1-6 ; Jer. 4 : 23-27. 

19. What will follow this great conflagration? 

" Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, 
wherein dwelleth righteousness," 2 Peter 3:13; Rev, 21 : 1-5. 
Note. — As elsewhere seen (reading on " Order of Events Connected with the 
Millennium," p. 219), at the coming of the Lord, the saints will be taken to 
heaven to dwell with Christ a thousand years, until the wicked are judged, and 
the earth (which will just previously have been given to Christ) shall be puri- 
fied in the fires of the last day. This, as is seen from Jer. 4 : 23-27, leaves 
the earth "without form and void," — the very condition in which it first came 
from the hand of its Maker. From this state of things the earth is formed 
anew (see 2 Peter 3 : 13 ; Rev. 21 : 5), and man, redeemed from sin, is placed 
on it, as Adam was at first, with this difference : Adam was on probation, and 
it was possible for him to forfeit his right to the earth and to the tree of life ; 
Mobile redeemed man will have passed his probation and the liability to sin. 
Had Adam remained pure from the beginning, he would have possessed the 
earth forever. Because redeemed man shall remain pure, he will "inherit 
the land, and dwell therein forever." Ps. 37 : 29. 

20. To what promise did Peter refer, when saying that he looked for 

new heavens and a new earth? 

" For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth ; and the former shall not be 
remembered, nor come into mind." Isa. 65 : 17. 

21. What will be the condition of things in the new earth ? 

"The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the 
bullock, and dust shall be the serpent's meat. They shall not hurt nor destroy 
in all my holy mountain, saith the Lord." Verse 25. 



V\O^L OV ^\AL SMLD. 175 



2 2. How will the ransomed demonstrate their joy in that place ? 

" And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion %vith songs mid ever- 
lasting joy upon their heads : they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow 
and sighing shall flee away." Isa. 35 : 10. 

23. How extensive will be the reign of Christ at that time ? 

" He shall have dominion also fi'ojn sea to sea, and fro7ii the rivei- tinto the ends of 
the earth:' Ps. 72 : 8. 

24. What does Daniel say of this kingdom ? 

"And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom tinder the 
whole heaven^ shall be given to the people of tJie saints of the Most High, whose 
kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey 
him." Dan. 7 : 27. 



►>'#'<• 



\ SWEETLY through the gloomy years 
; That roll their dimming vail between. 
The promised goodly land appears, 

Arrayed in never-fading green. 
And from that peaceful, happy clime. 

Transporting bursts of song arise. 
And, rolling through the mists of time, 
Tell us of joy that never dies. 

As voyagers on the stormy deep 

Look for some bright and sunny bay 
Where winds and waves are hushed in sleep, 

And joy lights up the happy day, 
So o'er the tossing sea of years 

We glance the eye and stretch the hand 
Where, robed in fadeless light, appears 

The border of the shining land. 

There angel hosts of glorious ones, 

With sinless hearts and stainless hands. 
Call us in glad and loving tones. 

And bid us welcome to their bands. 
Hark ! how their harps and voices tell 

The glories of that radiant strand. 
And bid us breast the waves that swell 

Between us and the shining land. 

Ear hath not heard, eye hath not seen, 

The glories of that home of song ; 
Though stormy billows roll between, 

I go to join the angel throng. 
But of the joys beyond the tide. 

The welcomes on that golden strand, 
The best shall be from Him who died 

To bring me to the shining land. 

V\. V V\^s^\UG»s. 



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^be K.ingdoms of Qi^ace and Q^o^I/. 

IVE the promise which our Saviour made to the '' little flock." 
"Fear not, little flock ; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you 
K the kingdom.^'' Luke 12:32. 

Note. — This text shows that while one may belong to the ' ' little flock, ' ' the 
favored of God, the real kingdom is yet before him. While in God's service, 
however, he may, in one sense, be in the kingdom. But there are at least five 
essentials to the formation of a kingdom : (i.) A king, as the reigning head ; 
(2.) A throne, as the chair of state from which the king may issue his decrees ; 
(3.) A definite territory over which the king has jurisdiction, without which 
there can be no real kingdom ; (4.) Subjects in that territory to rule over, to 
give power to the king, and stability to his throne ; (5.) Laws by which the 
subjects may be governed. If one finds in the sacred word any of these parts 
of a kingdom in existence, he may be sure that the kingdom itself is recognized. 

2. To what throne are we exhorted to come to find mercy? 

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, 
and find grace to help in time of need." Heb. 4 : 16. It would be useless to 
come before any throne for a favor, if that throne had no occupant. The 
throne of grace, therefore, supposes a king of grace. If there is a king, he 
must have subjects, and laws to govern those subjects. Then, while in this 
state, and receiving grace, or favor, from God, one must be in the kingdom of 
grace. 

3. To what other kingdom do the Scriptures call our attention ? 

" When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, 
then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.''' Matt. 25 : 31. This kingdom 
is to be established at the second coming of Christ. 

4. By what are men saved from sin ? 

" For by grace are ye saved through faith : and that not of yourselves : it is the gift 
of God." Eph. 2:8; Rom. 6 :23. It follows, then, that all — Abraham, 
Moses, and David, as well as those under the new dispensation — must be 
saved by the grace, or.favor, of God, as there is no other way to save those who 
have been sinners. These all, therefore, were in the kingdom of grace, which 
must have been set up as early as there were lost men who needed grace. 
12 [177] 



178 ^\^V.L RLI\\)\HGS. 



5. In the parable of the wheat and tares, what does the good seed 

represent? 

"The field is the world ; the good seed are the children of the kingdoin ; but the 
tares are the children of the wicked one." Matt. 13 : 38. 

6. Who sowed the tares in the kingdom ? 

"The enemy that sowed them is the Devil." Verse 39. Satan first sowed the 
tares of sin in Eden. Hence the kingdom of God was in existence at that time. 
The earth was God's kingdom, and was designed to be his forever. 

7. To whom did God intrust his kingdom? 

"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ; and let them 
have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over 
the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth 
upon the earth." Gen. I : 26. 
Note. — Man fell, and the world became the abode of sin. It can no longer be 
man's kingdom until sin is blotted out of it. Whoever, after that, would be- 
come a subject of God's kingdom, must now separate from this kingdom that 
has been usurped by Satan, and yield obedience to God's laws. In thus do- 
ing, they enter into an arrangement, made by God, by which they become his 
subjects, and renounce the service of Satan. They are then in God's kingdom, 
or the kingdom of grace, because they are the subjects of God's favor, or 
grace. 

8. When Christ sent out his disciples, what did he tell them to preach ? 

" And he sent them to preach the kingdo??i of God, and to heal the sick." Luke 
9:2. 

9. In carrying out their commission, what did they preach ? 

"And they departed, and went through the tov^^ns, preaching the gospel, and heal- 
ing everywhere.''^ Verse 6. We are sure, then, that the grace of God, in 
which the gospel is founded, has been in force ever since man needed salva- 
tion from sin. By this arrangement man could be " called out " into a tempo- 
rary kingdom, that should run parallel to the one lost in the beginning, until 
it could be redeemed and restored to its rightful owner. 

10. After the loss of the first kingdom, what promise did God make to 

Israel, if they would obey him? 
" Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye 
shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people ; for all the earth is mine. 
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.''^ Ex. 19 : 
5, 6. Although the kingdom as a whole, was in the hands of Satan, the 
Lord would take the Israelites, if they would obey him, and of them form a 
kingdom within the usurped kingdom, to continue until the usurper should be 
overthrown. 

11. After the children of Israel were settled in Canaan, what did they 

request of Samuel the p-rophet ? 

" Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways : tiow make us a king to- 
judge us like all the nations.'''' I Sam. 8:5. 



12. Upon taking the matter to God, what instruction did Samuel re- 

ceive ? 

" And the Lord said tinto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that 
they say unto thee ; for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, 
that I should not reign over them.'''' Verse 7. The people had heretofore been 
instructed and governed by God, through his prophets ; but they wanted now 
to be like the kingdom out of which they had been called, and of which the 
nations around them formed a part. 

13. Notwithstanding the perverseness of Israel, what did the Lord 

promise to David their king ? 

"Thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations.'''' 
Ps. 89 : 4. 

14. Through whom was the throne of David to be perpetuated? 

" For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given : and the government shall be 
upon his shoulder : and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The 
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase 
of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David.'''' 
Isa. 9:6, 7. 

15. Who is this seed of David, the heir to his throne ? 

" Thou shalt . . . bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be 
great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest ; and the Lord God shall give 
unto him the throne of his father David.'''' Luke 1:31, 32. 

16. While the kingdom was still held by the Jewish kings, what pre- 

diction was made concerning the kingdom ? 

"And thou, profane, wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity 
shall have an end, thus saith the Lord God : Remove the diadem, and take off 
the crown.^'' Eze. 21 : 25, 26. 

17. After the crown was taken from the Jewish king, and that kingdom 

had become tributary to the Babylonians, what more was pre- 
dicted concerning it? 

" I will overturn, overturn, overturn it ; and it shall be no more until He come 
whose right it is ; and I will give it Him..'''' Verse 27. 
Note. — This threefold overturning was accomplished in the successive subversions 
of the kingdoms of the Babylonians, the Medes and Persians, and the Gre- 
cians, See reading on "Prophetic History of the World," p. 17. The Jews 
were under the rule of each of these dynasties. The last overturning took 
place when Rome conquered the Grecians, B. c. 168 ; but the famous league be- 
tween the Romans and the Jews, made B. c. 161, brought the latter people 
more completely under the rule of that iron power. The latter date may be safely 
considered as the point at which Rome is first recognized in prophecy. In 
A. D. 70, the Jews were dispersed to all parts of the world, and the throne of 
David, which their kingdom represented, was to be no more, till He should 
come to whom it belongs. 



180 THL \^\HG\^OVKS OV <:^RI\C^ KU\) GLOH^ . 

i8. Christ did not take that throne when on earth. Did he assume it 
when ascending to heaven, or did he occupy the Father's throne, 
with him ? 

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also 
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.'''' Rev. 3:21. 

19. What is he doing at the Father's right hand ? 

"The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine 

enemies thy footstool." " The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent. Thou 

art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.'''' Ps. llO:l, 4; Heb. 
10:12, 13. 

20. When his priestly work is finished, what will Christ do ? 

" Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even 
the Father.''^ I Cor. 15 : 24. 

2 1. When he comes to earth, on whose throne will he sit? 

"When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, 
then shall he sit upon the throtie of his glory.'''' INLitt. 25 : 31 ; Rev. 11 : 15. 

22. Then what will he say to the redeemed ? 

" Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. from the 
foundation of the world.'''' Matt. 25 : 34. 

r>3. How will the saints appear after reaching that kingdom ? 

" Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father." 
Matt. 13 :43- 



rUHY kingdom come. Thus day by day 
J^ We lift our hands to God and pray ; 
But who has ever duly weighed 
The meaning of the words he said ? 

Thy kingdom come. O day of joy. 
When praise shall every tongue employ ; 
When hate and strife and war shall cease. 
And man with man shall be at peace. 

Jesus shall reign on Zion's hill 
And all the earth with glory fill ; 
His word shall Paradise restore. 
And sin and death afflict no more. 




^be YleMV) Jerusalem. 

<^^@AS God prepared a dwelling-place for his people ? 

^juMl^ "But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly ; wherefore God 
qJ\^ is not ashamed to be called their God ; /or he hath prepared for them 

d) a city.''' Heb. ii : i6. 

2. Where is this city ? and what is it called ? 

"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all." Gal. 
4:26. 

3. After sojourning in the land of promise as a stranger and a pil- 

grim, to what did Abraham look forward ? 
"For he looked for a a'/y which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is 
God." Heb. 11 : 10. 

4. When we embrace Christ, unto what do we come by faith ? 

" But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heav- 
enly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels." Heb. 12 : 22. 

5. What did John see concerning this city? 

" And / John saxv the holy city. New Jerusalem, coming dozvn fro?ii God out of 
heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Rev. 21 : 2. 

6. Is this the city for which Abraham looked ? 

" And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the 
twelve apostles of the Lamb." Verse 14. Compare this with Heb. 11 : 10. 

[181] 



182 B\^^L RL^\^\U<aS. 



7. What is the measurement of the city ? 

" And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth ; a7id he 
measured the city with the reed^ twelve thousand furlongs.'''' Rev. 21 : 16. 
The measure around it, as the words length and breadth imply, and as was 
the early custom of measuring cities, was 12,000 furlongs, equal to 1,500 
miles [2, 410. 8-{- kilometers], or 375 miles [602.7 kilometers] on each side, 
making a perfect square. 

8. What is the hight of the wall ? 

"And he measured the wall thereof, a hundred and forty and four cubits.''^ 
Verse 17. 144 cubits = 216 feet [66 meters]. 

9. Of what material is the wall constructed ? 

" And the building of the wall of it was of jasper ; and the city was pure gold, 
like unto clear glass." Verse 18. Jasper is said to be a stone of beautiful 
bright green, sometimes clouded with white and spotted with yellow, having 
veins of red. 

10. With what are the twelve foundations (or as some suppose, orna- 

mental bases) of the wall adorned ? 
" And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of 
precious stones. The first foundation was jasper ; the second, sapphire ; the 
third, a chalcedony ; the fourth, an emerald ; the fifth, sardonyx ; the sixth, 
sardius ; the seventh, chrysolite ; the eighth, beryl ; the ninth, a topaz ; the 
tenth, a chrysoprasus ; the eleventh, a jacinth ; the twelfth, an amethyst." 
Verses 19, 20. 
Note. — Prof. Stuart says of these stones that, in order and arrangement, they 
are like the colors of the rainbow, only more complex, and much more brill- 
iant. There can be no question as to their extreme brilliancy ; but with 
reference to their arrangement, it has been suggested on good authority, that 
whereas the high priest of the Israelites wore these twelve stones in his breast- 
plate, to represent the twelve tribes of Israel ; and whereas the New Jeru- 
salem itself has twelve gates, each bearing the name of one of the twelve 
tribes, designating the particular place each tribe occupies in the city, — that 
these ornamental stones will be only on that part of the foundation where the 
tribe is located, which the stone itself has ever represented. Another sugges- 
tion is that these foundations are super-imposed horizontally one upon another, 
in the form of terraces, each color extending continuously around the city, the 
whole being arranged in steps from the ground to the wall. 

11. Of what are the twelve gates composed ? 

" And the twelve gates were twelve pearls ; every several gate was of one pearl ; 
and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass." 
Rev. 21 : 21. 
Note. — The streets are said to be of gold, and indeed, the entire city has the 
appearance of polished gold, reflecting like clear glass. There is a great sim- 
ilarity of expression in the Old and New Testaments. The sanctuary of the 
Israelites, and its furniture, were overlaid with gold, which gave the appear- 
ance of solid metal. It is probable that the mansions of the heavenly city are 
ornamented more or less with gold also, which, with the golden streets, gives 
a golden appearance to the entire city. 



•\V\L UL^ iLRV^SNV.'L^A. 183 



12. What will be excluded from that city ? 

" And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that dejileth, neither whatsoever 
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie.'''' Rev, 21 : 27. 

13. Who will be welcomed there ? 

" Blessed are they that do his commandtnents, that they may have right to the tree 
of Hfe, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22 : 14. 

14. In what condition will those be who are permitted to dwell in the 

holy city ? 

" And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more 
death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain ; for 
the former things are passed away." Rev. 21:4. 

15. What is to be a prominent object in the city ? 

" And there shall be no more curse ; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall 
be in it ; and his servants shall serve him." Rev. 22 : 3. 

16. What will flow from under the throne of God ? 

" And he showed me a. pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out 
of the throne of God and of the Lamb." Verse I. The "water of life ; " 
that is, containing a life-giving principle in harmony with our condition of 
immortality. 

17. What Stands on either side of that river? 

"In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree 
of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every 
month ; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." 
Verse 2. 
Note. — " The tree of life." That which Adam lost through transgression is to 
be restored to the redeemed, and will be enjoyed by them throughout the 
never-ending cycles of eternity. Those who really keep God's command- 
ments, have the promise of a right to that life-giving tree. Verse 14. 



'^^^*<« 



fHY walls are all of precious stone. 
Most glorious to behold ; 
Thy gates are richly set with pearl, 
Thy streets are paved with gold. 

Thy garden and thy pleasant walks 

My study long have been ; 
Such dazzling views, by human sight 

Have never yet been seen. 

Lord, help us by thy mighty grace 

To keep in view the prize 
Till thou dost come to take us home 

To that blest paradise. 



THE TWO LAWS CONTRASTED. 



The following facts show the manifest distinction between 
the moral and the ceremonial law: — 



MORAL LAW. 

1. Was spoken of God. Deut. 4:12, 

2. Was written by God on "tables 
of stone." Ex. 24 : 12. 

3. Was "right," "true," and 
"good." Neh. 9 : 13. 

4. Was a law, "which if a man do, 
he shall even live in " it. Eze. 20 : 11, 
13, 21. 

5. Was a " perfect " law. Ps. 19 : 7. 

6. Christ d id not ' ' come to destroy ' ' 
it. Matt. 5 : 17. 

7. He came to "magnify" it and 
make it "honorable." Isa. 42 : 21. 

8. Every "jot" and "tittle" of 
this shall stand " till heaven and earth 
pass" away. Matt. 5 • i^- 

9. Of this, Christ says, "Whoso- 
ever, therefore, shall break one of 
these least commandments, . . . shall 
be called the least in the kingdom of 
heaven." Matt. 5 : 19. 

10. Was a "law of liberty. ' ' James 
2 : 12. 

11. Is "established" through faith 
in Christ. Rom. 3:31. 

12. "Is spiritual." Rom. 7 : 14. 

13. Is "holy," "just," and 
"good." Rom. 7:12. 

14. Was "written with the finger 
of God," and is called the "royal 
law." Ex. 31 : 18 ; James 2 : 8. 

15. Was proclaimed by Jehovah 
himself, "and he added no more." 
Deut. 5 : 22. 

16. Is the "commandments of 
God," which are brought to view in 
the third angel's message (Rev. 14: 
12), and which will insure to those 
who observe them, a "right to the 
tree of life." Rev. 22 : 14. 



CEREMONIAL LAW. 

Was spoken by Moses. Deut. i : 1-6. 
Was written by Moses "in a book." 
Deut. 31 :24. 

Was "not good." Eze. 20:25. 

Was a law "whereby they should 
not live." Eze. 20:25. 



7: 



"Made nothing perfect." Heb. 
119. 
He "abolished" it. Eph. 2: 15. 



He took it "out of the way" at his 
death. Col. 2 : 14. 

Was only "added till," and passed 
away when, the Seed came. Gal. 
3:19- 

Of the other, the apostle said, "We 
gave no such commandment" that ye 
should "keep the law." Acts 15 : 24. 



Was a "yoke of bondage." Gal. 
5:1- 

"Was our schoolmaster to bring us 
unto Christ." Gal. 3 : 24, 25. 

Is "the law of a carnal command- 
ment." Heb. 7 : 16. 

Is "enmity against us" and "con- 
trary to us." Eph. 2:15; Col. 2 : 14. 

Was the "handwriting of ordi- 
nances." Col. 2 : 14. 

"Was ordained by angels in the 
hand of a mediator." Gal. 3 : 19. 

Is "the law of commandments 
contained in ordinances" (Eph. 2:15), 
"a shadow of good things to come" 
(Heb. io:i), and was disannulled "for 
the weakness and unprofitableness 
thereof." Heb. 7:18. 



[184I 





HO spoke the ten commandments? 

^'^ And the Lord spake tinto you ovX oi the midst of the fire. . . . And he 
declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even 
ten commandments." Deut. 4 : 12, 13 ; Ex. 20 : 1-17. 

2. Did God ever add anything to these ten commandments ? 

"These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst 
of the fire, of the cloud, and of the thick darkness, with a great voice ; and he 
added no more.''^ Deut. 5 : 22. 

3. Did Moses give a law ? 

^^ Moses COMMANDED tis a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob." 
Deut. 33 : 4 ; 2 Kings 21:8. 

4. Who wrote the ten commandments ? and where were they written ? 

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there: 
and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and cominandments which I 
have written ; that thou mayest teach them." Ex. 24 : 12 ; 31 : 18. 

5. Where did Moses write his law? 

"And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this 
law in a book, until they were finished." Deut. 31 : 24 ; see also verse 9. 

6. Where was God's law kept ? 

"And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and pitt the tables in the 
«r>^ which I had made ; and there they be, as the Lord commanded me." 
Deut. 10 : 5. 



7. Where was Moses' law put? 



[185] 



186 B\^\_L RLK\)\UG.S. 



" Take this book of the law, and put it in the SIDE of the ark of the covenant of the 
Lord your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee." Deut. 
31 : 26. God's law was kept in the ark, and the other in the side of the ark ; 
that is, in a place made for it on the side of the ark. 

8. By what is sin recognized ? 

" Because the law worketh wrath ; for zvhere no law is, there is no transgression.'''' 
Rom. 4 : 15 ; 7 : 8 ; 5 : 13. 

9. But was not sin imputed to man before the formal delivery of the 

law on Sinai ? 

"For that righteous man [Lot] dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, 
vexed his righteous soul frotii day to day with their unlawful deeds." 2 Peter 
2:8; Rom. 5 : 12, 19, 20 ; Gen. 3 : 17 ; 4 : 7. It is certain that if sin was 
imputed to man at that time, the law was then in force ; otherwise sin would 
have had no dominion over our first parents. As expressed by Paul, " With- 
out the law, sin was dead." Rom. 7:8. Sin would have been powerless 
without a law behind it. " The strength of sin is the law." i Cor. 15 : 56. 

10. What is the character of the ten commandments ? 

"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." 
Rom. 7 : 12; Neh. 9 : 13 ; Ps. 119 : 172, 151. 

11. What is said of the ceremonial law? 

" Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and 
had polluted my Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols. 
Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby 
they should not live.'''' Eze. 20 : 24, 25 ; Acts 15 : 5, 10. 

12. Why, then, was the ceremonial law given? 

" Wherefore then serveth the law ? // zvas added because of transgressions, till the 
Seed should come to whom the promise was made." Gal. 3 : 19. 
Note. — As stated by Ezekiel, God gave them certain judgments, not to live by, 
but to regulate the ceremonies by which the Source of life would be kept in 
mind ; and when the Seed came (Jesus Christ) to whom the promise was 
made, through Abraham, then the added law of ceremonies ceased, because 
it had met its antitype in the death of Christ. 

13. What was the nature of the ceremonial law ? 

" For the law having a shadoiv of good thittgs to come, and not the very image of 
the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year 
continually, make the comers thereunto perfect." Heb. 10 : i ; 9 : 9, 10. 

14. What is the nature of God's law ? 

"For we know that the law is spiritual ; but I am carnal, sold under sin." 
Rom. 7 : 14. 

15. How long was the law of ceremonies to continue? 

"Wherefore, then, serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till 
the Seed should come.''' Gal. 3 : 19 ; Heb. 9 : 10. 



■\VAL ^^0 V.^V^S. 187 



i6. What did Christ do to this law at his death ? 

^'' Having abolished in his Jlesh 'Oa& enmity, even the law of commandments con- 
tained in ordinances ; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making 
peace." Eph. 2 : 15. 

17. How long did Christ say the moral law was to continue? 

" For verily I say unto you. Till heaven o7id earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall 
in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5 : 18 ; Luke 
16:17. 

18. What did the Saviour state as one of the conditions of entering into 

eternal life ? 

" And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good ? there is none good but one, 
that is, God : but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.'''' Matt. 
19 : 17 ; Luke 10 : 25-28. 

19. Is the keeping of the law of Moses a condition of eternal life ? 

"Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts 
and sacrifices, that could not m,ake him that did the service perfect, as pertain- 
ing to the conscience." Heb. 9:9; Acts 15 : 5, 10. 

20. Was the observance of the ceremonial law by the Jews accept- 

able to God, while they violated his law of ten command- 
ments ? 

" Hear, O earth : behold, I will briiig evil upon this people, . . . because they 
have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it. To what 
purpose cometh there to me incense ? . . . Your burnt-offerings are not ac- 
ceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me." Jer. 6 : 19, 20. 

21. Are there ceremonial laws for the Christian church? 

"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's 
death till he come." i Cor. 11 : 26 ; Matt. 28 : 19, 20. 

22. Is the observance of these ceremonies acceptable, while one lives 

in violation of God's law ? 

"Not every one that saith unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of 
heaven ; but he that doeth the zuill of my Father which is in heaven.'''' Matt. 
7 : 21. 
Note. — From the contrast kept up all the way through the Bible between the 
law which points out sin — God's law of ten commandments — and the law 
of ceremonies, which kept in the transgressor's mind the true Sacrifice for sin, 
it is plain there were two distinct laws. The moral law condemns sin : it has no 
other office. The law of ceremonies was that by which the sinner, by observ- 
ing, could show his faith in the world's Redeemer to come, and thus in a fig- 
ure put away his sin. When the Messiah came, and offered himself a sacrifice 
for sin, those shadows of his death ceased. Sin is the same now that it ever 
has been, and is imputed by the same law as then — the ten commandments. 
When one is condemned for sin now, and looks to Christ for relief, he is not 
obliged, as then, to look y<7rwar^ through sacrificial offerings to that blood, 
but now looks back to it through another set of ceremonies ; namely, baptism 
and the Lord's Supper, which are memorials of his death, and not shadows of 
it. Thus the shadow gives way to the reality. 




jmjDOPtanee of gound J)oeti^ine, 

1|. OES it make any difference what a man believes, if he is 
lir only sincere ? 



3- 



'^llCiiV' "God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctifi- 
iJ'V^-^ cation of the Spirit and belief of the truth.'''' 2 Thess. 2 : 13 ; Joshua 24 : 14. 

2. How may we determine the truthfulness of any doctrine ? 

" Prove all thhigs ; hold fast that which is good." I Thess. 5:21; Isa.8 : 20. 

Upon what foundation should every religious tenet rest ? 

"And are built upon \}a.& foundation of the apostles and prophets^ Jesus Christ him- 
self being the chief corner-stone." Eph. 2 : 20 ; I Cor. 3:11. 

4. What is mentioned first in the list of those things for which all 

Scripture is profitable ? 

"All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrineP'' 
2 Tim. 3 : 16. 

5. What advice is given to Timothy while preparing for the gospel 

ministry ? 

"Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." "Take 
heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them." I Tim. 4: 
13, 16. 

6. What remarkable charge is given him as he begins his public work? 

" I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge 
the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, preach the word ; 
be instant in season, out of season ; reprove, rebuke, exhort %vith all long-suf- 
fering and doctrine.'''' 2 Tim. 4: I, 2. 

7. Why is this duty so imperative? 

[188] 



\^?OH^(\HCL OV SOV^U\) \)OC^R\UL. 189 

'•'■For the thite tvill co??ie when they zuill not endure sound doctrine ; but after their 
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears ; and 
they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.'''' 
Verses 3, 4. 

8. How was Titus instructed to teach ? and in what was he to be a 

pattern ? 

" But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine,'''' " in all things showing 
thyself a pattern of good works ; in doctrine sliowing uncorruptness, gravity, 
sincerity." Titus 2:1,7. 

9. What is the power of sound doctrine ? 

" Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by 
sound doct^'itie both to exhort and to convince the gains aye rs.'''' Titus i : 9. 

10. What danger attends false teaching ? 

" Who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already ; 
and overthrow the faith of some." 2 Tim. 2 : 18. 

11. Who are the disciples of Jesus ? and what gracious work is wrought 

for them ? 

'■'■ If ye continue in my zuord, then are ye my disciples indeed : and ye shall know 
the truth, and the truth shall make you free.''^ John 8 : 31, 32. 

12. Through what are they to be sanctified ? 

" Sanctify them through thy truth : thy word is truth." John 17:17. 

13. Will God accept the homage of such as deliberately teach contrary 

to his will ? 

"■Hut in vain they do zvorship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."' 
Matt. 15 : 9. 

14. Can we close our ears to the truth, and remain innocent? 

"lie that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, eveji his prayer shall be 
abomination.'''' Prov. 28:9. 

15. To whom will the Lord reveal his will, and lead them into the 

light ? 

"■ If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, 
or whether I speak of myself." John 7:17; Ps. 25 : 9 ; John 8 : 12. 

16. What will be the fate of the spiritually blind teacher, and of those 

whom he presumes to teach ? 

" Let them alone : they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the 
blind, both shall fall into the ditch.'" Matt. 15 : 14. 

17. To whom will the gates of the heavenly city at length be opened? 

"Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation which keepeth the truth may enter 
in.'''' Isa. 26 : 2 ; Rev. 22 : 14. 




Lord, how secure my conscience was. 

And felt no inward dread ! 
I was alive without the law, 

And thought my sins were dead. 

My hopes of heaven were firm and bright : 

But since the precept came 
With a convincing power and light, 

I find how vile I am. 

My guilt appeared but small before, 

Till terribly I saw 
How perfect, holy, just, and pure 

Was thy eternal law. 

Then felt my soul the heavy load, — 

My sins revived again ; 
I had provoked a dreadful God, 

And all my hopes were slain. 

Isaac Watts. 




^be Perpetuity/* of the \^aw. 

^ HERE must all men appear? 

" For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Chi'ist, that every- 
one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he 
hath done, v^^hether it be good or bad." 2 Cor. 5 : 10. 

2. What will be the standard in the judgment? 

"So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.'''' James 
2:12; Rom. 3 : 19. 

3. In what condition are all men ? 

" For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3 : 23. 

4. How many are included in the " all " who have sinned ? 

"What then? are v^^e better than they? No, in no w'lse. ; for we have before 
proved both yews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.'''' Verse 9. 

5. By what are all men thus proved guilty ? 

"Now we know that what thijtgs soever the law saith, it saith to them who are 
under the law ; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world ?7iay be- 
come guilty before God.'''' Verse 19. 

[190] 



■\V\L P^RPLlV^n^ OV "^WL LN^i^. 191 

Note. — It is what the law says, and not what one may interpret it to mean, that 
proves the sinner guilty. Moreover, God is no respecter of persons, but treats 
Jew and Gentile alike. AH the world, says the text, become guilty before 
God. 

6. What effect does faith in Christ have upon the law ? 

"Do we then make void the law through faith ? God forbid ; yea, lae establisJi the 
law.^'' Verse 31. 

7. In what did the apostle Paul delight? 

"For I delight in the lazv of God after the inward man." Rom. 7 : 22. 

8. How does the carnally minded man regard the law of God ? 

"Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law of 
God, neither indeed can be." Rom. 8 : 7. 

9. How long did the Saviour say all the law would be in force ? 

"For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall 
in no wise pass from the law, till all [Greek, all things^ be fulfilled." Matt. 
5 : 18. 
Note. — "As long as the world endured, not the least word, or letter, or point, or 
comma (so to speak), of the whole law, should by any means lose its authority, 
or fail of answering the end for which it was given ; and the moral law 
would, to the end of time, continue the standard of sin and holiness to all 
men, and the believer's rule of duty." — Thomas Scott, D. D., on Matt. _^ : 18. 

10. When asked which was the great commandment in the law, what 

answer did Christ make? 
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Loi^d thy God with all thy heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great command- 
ment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.'''' 
Matt, 22 : 37-39. 

11. What did he say hung on these two requirements? 

"On these two commandments hang all ///^ /^^ztc and the prophets. " Verse 40. 
Note. — As long as these two great commandments continue, all the law must 
exist, as well ; for it is suspended on, and inherent in, these two great principles 
of love. As long as these last, that must continue. If one loves God with 
all his heart, he will not worship idols nor images, neither will he profane the 
name of God. He will, moreover, remember the day which God has set 
apart as a day of worship. So, if one loves his neighbor as himself, he will 
not kill him, steal from him, lie about him, or covet his possessions, etc. It is 
plain that if one has in his heart the two principles of love set forth by the 
Saviour, he must keep the law of God in all its parts. 

12. What does the apostle say about the practice of Christ in keeping 

the law? 
"And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sins ; and in hi??i is no 
sin.'''' I John 3:5. In the verse just preceding this, sin is said to be the 
transgression of the law. If in him was jio sin, he must have kept the law 
perfectly. 



13. What does Christ say of himself in this respect? 

'■^ I have kept my Faiher''s commandments, and abide in his love." John 15 : 10. 

14. If one would abide in Christ, what ought he to do ? 

" He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to 7valk, even as he 7valked.^'' 
I John 2 : 6. 

15. How does James say one may be blessed in his deeds ? 

" But Tf/z^j-i? looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continue th therein, he being 
not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in hi^ 
deed." James l : 25. 

16. What is said of those who profess to know the Lord, and yet do 

not keep his commandments ? 

"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and 
the truth is not in him.'''' I John 2:4. 

17. What is the test whereby one may know he has passed from death 

unto life ? 

" We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.'''' 
I John 3 : 14. 

18. How may one be sure he loves the brethren ? 

'■'■By this we know that we love the children of God, 7v]ien loe love God, and keep 
his commandments.''^ i John 5:2. 

19. And what is included in the love of God ? 

" For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments." ^'erse 3. 

20. What will characterize the "remnant" church? 

" And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the rem- 
nant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testi- 
mony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12 : 17. 





W)bat W)cis ?[bolisbed 
hxf Gbrist ? 

ID our Saviour abolish any- 
^™i thing on the cross ? 
>^b "Having abolished in his flesh 
'Is the enmity, even t/ze law of com- 
mandments contained in ordinances.'''' 
Eph. 2 : 15. 

. What did he himself say about 
the law ? 

" Think not that I am come to destroy the 
Imv or the prophets ; I am not come to de- 
stroy, but to fulfill." Matt. 5 : 17. 

3. How long did he say the law would endure ? 

" For verily I say unto you. Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall 
in no vi^ise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Verse 18 ; Luke 16 : 17. 
It is evident, from these texts, that the abolished law^ was not the law of ten 
commandments. 

4. What did Paul say of the law of God ? 

"Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just ^ and good.''"' 
Rom. 7 : 12. 

5. How did he regard it ? 

" For I delight in the law of God after the inward man." Verse 22. 

6. What does one show by keeping the commandments ? 

' ' For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments ; and his command- 
ments are not grievous." I John 5:3. A law that is holy, just, and good, 
and not grievous, cannot be an " enmity," as was that which Christ abolished. 

7. Does sin still exist? 

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." 
I John I : 8. 

13 [193] 



194 ^VAK^ ^KS NBOUSV\^\:) ^X 0\AR\S1 7 

8. Could there be sin now, if Christ had abolished the law ? 

" For until the law sin was in the world ; but sin is not imputed when there is no 
law.'''' Rom. 5 : 13. 

9. What was made possible by abolishing the law of commandments 

contained in ordinances ? 

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth 
of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and 
without God in the world ; but now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were 
far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath 
made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between 
us." Eph. 2 : 12-14. 
Notes. — "He broke down the middle wall of partition, the ceremonial law, 
that made the great feud, and was the badge of the Jews' peculiarity, — 
called the partition-wall by way of allusion to the partition in the temple, 
which separated the court of the Gentiles from that into which the Jews only, 
had liberty to enter. Thus he abolished in his flesh the enmity." — Matthew 
Henry. 

"Breaking down that partition-wall, which had so long separated the 
Jews from the Gentiles ; namely, the ceremonial law." — Thomas Scott. 

" By abolishing the law of Jewish ordinances, he has removed that -which 
kept the two parties, not only in a state of separation, but also at variance.'''' 
— Dr. A. Clarke. 

10. What was the chief thing that separated the Jews and the Gentiles? 

"And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision 
contended with him, saying. Thou wentest in to men uncircumcised, and didst 
eat with thein.'''' Acts 11:3. 

11. Was circumcision done away in Christ? 

"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything; nor unci rcumcision, 
but a new creature," Gal. 6:15. 

12. After circumcision and the ordinances connected with it lost their 

force, what still remained of the utmost importance ? 

"Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, btit the keeping of the 
commandments of God.'''' I Cor. 7 : 19. 
Note. — There are several distinct objects to which the term la^v is applied. 
(I.) The ten commandments are by themselves called a law, and are often 
referred to by that term throughout the Scriptures. Ex. 24 : 12. (2.) The 
ceremonial law of the Jews given through Moses, and put in a coffer in the 
side of the ark. Deut. 31 : 26. (3.) The five historical books of Moses, 
which in the classification of the Scriptures were called " the law," in contrast 
with the prophetical and poetical books ; as in the expression, "which were 
written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms, concern- 
ing me." Luke 24: 44. This distinction will be apparent when it is consid- 
ered that it was not the five historical books of Moses which were put in the 
side of the ark. None need be confused concerning these laws M'hen consid- 
ering Paul's statements as to what was done away, and what remains. Rom. 
3 :3I ; Col. 2 : 14. It was not the five historical books of Moses which were 
nailed to the cross. Conventionally, the term the law may still be applied 
to those books to distinguish them from other portions of the Scriptures. But 
the types, shadows, and ceremonies of the Jewish system, only, were done 
away ; while the moral law still remains. 




^be G^^d of the I^aw). 



'O the believer what does Christ become ? 

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that be- 
heveth," Rom. 10:4. 

In what sense is the word end (Greek, telos) sometimes used in 
the Scriptures? — Object, intention, or design. 

Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord.'''' James 
5:11. 

What was the object of the law? 

And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death." 
Rom. 7 : 10. 

What further is the end, or object, of the law ? 

Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart." l Tim. 1:5. 

What is charity, or love ? 

• Love worketh no ill to his neighbor ; therefore love is I lie fulfilling of the law.'''' 
Rom. 13 : 10 ; I John 5 : 3. 

Why did God send his Son to the world ? 

For what the law coidd not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending 
his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the 
flesh : that the righteousness of the law uiight beftilfilled in tis. ' ' Rom. 8:3,4. 

Then what is one enabled to do through Christ ? 

That the requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us." Verse 4. See margin 
of Revised Version. 

Notes. — Since obedience "unto life" is the "end of the law," and Christ is 
the means by which one is justified and enabled to keep the law, it is thus 
that he becomes the " end," or object, of the law for us. 

" The end of the law was to bring men to perfect obedience, and so to ob- 
tain justification. This is now become impossible, by reason of the power of 
sin, and the corruption of nature ; but Christ is the end of the law ; the law is 
not destroyed, nor the intention of the Lawgiver frustrated ; but full satisfac- 
tion being made by the death of Christ for our breach of the law, the end is 
attained, and we put in another way of justification. Christ is thus the end of 
the lazv for righteousness, for justification ; but it is only to every one that he- 
lieveth.^'' — Matthew Henry. 

[195] 



0^-, 



^' 



U^t Justified by the Cctv\?. 

HAT positive statement does the apostle make concerning the 
law ? 

"Therefore by the deeds of the law t/wrc shall no flesh be justifled ijt his 
sight.'' Rom. 3 : 20. 

2. What does the law do ? 

"I had not known sin, but by the Liw ; for I had not known hist, except the laio 
had said. Thou shall not covet:' Rom. 7:7; 3 : 20, last clause. 

3. Will the law do this work for others besides the Jews ? 

"Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are 
under the law, that every mouth may l^e stopped, and all the luorld ;/iay be- 
come guilty before God." Rom. 3 : I9. 

4. What is the nature of God's law ? 

"Wherefore the la%a is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." 
Rom. 7:12. 

5. It is manifest that a law, the office of which is to point out sin, can 

never justify one from the transgressions of that law. How, 
then, can man be justified ? 

" Being justified freely 4;' his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." 
Rom. 3 : 24. 

6. But does the fact that we are subjects of God's grace, give us 

license to sin ? 

"What then ? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? 
God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to 
obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, ivhether of sin tinto death, or of obe- 
dience unto righteousness ?" Rom. 6 : 15, 16. 

7. How must those walk Avho would be free from condemnation ? 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, ^\ ho 
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8 : I. 
[196] 




Make me to walk in thy commands, 

'T is a delightful road ; 
Nor let my head, nor heart, nor hands 

Offend against my God. 



^^k^^ 



TVlagnified h^ Qh^i&t, 



(^ 




^^TATE the Lord's purpose concerning the law. 
^ "The Lord is well pleased for his righteousness' sake ; /i^ [Christ] 7vi// 
Jgi^^n^ magnify the law and make it honorable:' Isa. 42:21. Magnify. —To 
increase the power or glory of ; to exalt ; to extol ; to sound the praises of. 
— Webster. 

2 Why was it necessary to magnify the law ? 

"It is time for thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void thy law.'' 
Ps. 119 : 126. 

3. How was the law " made void " when Christ was on the earth ? 
"And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye 

may keep your own tradition." Mark 7:9; Matt. 15 : 1-9. 

4. What was Christ's attitude toward the law ? 

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets : I am not come to 
destroy, but to fulfill." Matt. 5:17. Fulfill. —To render full ; to fulfill, 
i. e., to perform perfectly. — Greenfield's Greek Lexicon. See also Webster. 
Christ, then, came to perform the law perfectly in all its parts, but not as the 
Jews interpreted it. 

5. How did he then proceed to magnify the law before his hearers ? 
"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time. Thou shalt not kill ; and 

whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment ; but I say unto you. 
Thai whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger 
of the judgment." Matt. 5 :2i, 22. See also i John 3 : 15. 

[197] 



198 VM\C^H\V\^\i ^^ CV\R\S"^ 



6. What did he say of the seventh commandment ? 

"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shah not commit 
aduhery ; but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust 
after her hath committed adultery with her aheady in his heart." Verses 
27, 28. 

7. Did Christ himself keep the commandments ? 

'■'■ I have kept my Father'^ s cofnmandments, and abide in his love." John 15 : 10. 

8. How long did he say the law would last? 

" For verily I say unto you, Till heaven attd earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall 
in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matt. 5 : 18. 

9. Why did Christ come to earth ? 

" For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God send- 
ing his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in 
the flesh, that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk 
not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:3,4. That is, that we 
might "perform perfectly" the law of God, — a work which no one can do 
of himself. 

10. In order to accomplish this, what was it necessary for Christ to do ? 

" For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." 
Rom. 5 : 6. 

11. But if the law could have been abolished, would not that have re- 

leased men from condemnation ? 

"Because the law worketh wrath ; for where no law is, there is no transgression.'^'' 
Rom. 4 : 15. 
Note. — It is plain that if the law of God demanded the death of Christ, and 
had power to slay him (Gal. 3 : 13), the law must still live, even after cursing 
the Son of God in our behalf. Then by yielding his life to the demands of 
the law, he magnified it in his death as well as in his life. 



J^HE Son of God appeared 
p^ With tidings of great joy ; 
God's precepts he revered. 
He came not to destroy ; 
None of the law was set aside 
But every tittle ratified. 

Our Saviour did not die 

To render null and void 
The law of the Most High, 
Which cannot be destroyed ; 
But bruised for us, our stripes he bore, — 
We'll go in peace and sin no more. 




^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiliiiliiiiiiiliiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiii!iliiiniiliiiiiiiiiiliiiii| 

^ ^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiij: ^ 

I I "TV\0\] SWNLl ?\)T KV^M IHL L^J\V. VRO^ \SRKL\_." | | 

^ iTiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii3i)iiiiEEiiiiiigiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiii!i;ii:igi)ii::!9iiiiiiiiiii!iiiiR ^ 

^iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ 
Penaltg* foi^ ^fi^ansgi^ession. 

the old dispensation, how was an idolater punished ? 

" And thou shalt stone him with stones, that he die ; because he hath sought to 
thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, which brought thee out of the 
land of Egypt, from the house of bondage." Deut. 13 :6-io. 

2. What was done to a blasphemer? 

"And he that blasphemeth the name of the Lord, he shall surely be put to death, 
and all the congregation shall certainly stone him, as well the stranger, as 
he that is born in the land." Lev. 24 : 16. 

3. How was a perverse son punished ? 

" If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, v^'hich will not obey the voice of his 
father, or the voice of his mother, ... all the men of his city shall stone 
him with stones, that he die.''"' Deut. 21 : 18-21. 

4. What punishment was inflicted upon an adulterer ? 

" The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.'''' Lev. 20 : 10. 
Note. — The same penalty was judicially visited upon the Israelites for violating 
the Sabbath commandment, or, indeed, any of the others. This was not 
considered the final punishment for their deeds, any more than hanging for 
murder is now considered such. The judicial sentence that now consigns the 
murderer to death, in nowise takes the place of the final sentence that God 
will visit upon the incorrigible sinner in the last day. So it was, under the 
Levitical law. The law of God, as a whole, was taken as the basis of their 
judicial system, and death was meted out to the offender. But all those who 
thus suffered must the next time be arraigned before God in the final judg- 
ment, when they will receive the sentence that their wickedness deserves. It 
will thus be seen that because death is not now visited upon those who swear, 
steal, and commit adultery, it does not prove that God's law which forbids 
these sins has been abolished. 

5. Has the death penalty for sin really been abolished? 
" For the wages of sin is death.'''' Rom. 6 : 23. 

[199] 



200 VLu^u^ voR •\H^usG?.Lss\ou. 

6. Why is not the old penalty executed in this dispensation by gospel 

ministers ? 

" Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us." 
2 Cor, 5 : 20. 
Note. — It is not the work of an ambassador to punish criminals ; but to give 
them over for punishment to the power he represents. The penalty of death 
was attached to the violation of the ten commandments under Moses, not as a 
part of the w^ra/ government of God, but as a part of the ciinl polity of the 
Jews. But when the Jews ceased to be God's special people, as a nation, that 
polity came to an end, and that practice would of couz^se no longer continue. 
Since the first advent of Christ, God has had no occasion for a theocracy 
among men ; and his ministers now deal only with the moral aspects of his 
work in the earth. Of the ministers of Christ under the New Testament, the 
apostle, in 2 Cor. 3 : 6, says : "Who [God] also hath made us able ministers 
of the New Testament ; not of the letter [that is, to inflict punishment upon 
the transgressors of the law], but of the spirit [that is, to offer life through 
Christ to the penitent]." 

7. To whom does vengeance belong? 

" Vengeance is mine ; I will repay, saith the Lord." Rom. 12 : 19. 

8. To whom has the execution of the death penalty for sin been 

committed ? 

" For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life 
in himself ; and hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he 
is the Son of man." John 5 : 26, 27. 

9. And when will he execute it? 

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying. Behold, 
the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.'''' 
Jude 14, 15. 






^be G^^rj^ile gabbatB. 



2^1* OW does God regard the Gentiles ? 

"Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? 
Ves, of the Gentiles also.'''' Rom. 3 : 29. 

2. Is God partial to either Jew or Gentile ? 

"Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth, I perceive that God is no re- 
specter of persons; but in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh 
righteousness, is accepted with him." Acts 10 134, 35. 

3. What rule must be applied to convict any one of sin ? 

" For until the law, sin was in the world ; but sin is not imputed wJien there is 
no law.'''' Rom. 5 : 13. Then if Gentiles are convicted of sin, it must be by 
the law, just the same as the Jews. 

4. For whom is the law made? 

"Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless 
and disobedient, . . . for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves 
with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be 
any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine." i Tim, i 19, 10. 

5. Were the Gentiles addicted to such practices? 

"This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as 
other Gentiles, . . . who being past feeling have given themselves over unto 
lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness." Eph. 4:17-19. 
Then the law was given for Gentiles as well as for Jews. 

6. Speaking of how God would visit the Gentiles and take out a peo- 

ple for himself, what did James say was fallen down, and would 

be built up again ? 

[201] 



202 ^\^V.L R^K\^\UC^S. 



"And to this agree the words of the prophets ; as it is written, After this I will 
return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down ; 
and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it tip.'''' Acts 
15 : 15, 16. 

7. What was to be the result of building again the tabernacle of 

David ? 

" That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon 
whom my na^ne is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things." 
Verse 17. The reader will notice that the specification is the "Gentiles 
upon whom my name is called," — that is, those who had joined themselves 
to the Lord, and were counted among God's Israel. These were keeping all 
of God's commandments, just as they were delivered from Sinai ; then if the 
Gentiles were to be brought within the plan of salvation, to do those things 
which were done before the tabernacle of David was fallen, they, too, must 
keep all of God's commandments. 

8. For whom was the Sabbath made ? 

" The Sabbath was made for man." Mark 2 : 27. The word man is here used in 
its general sense, meaning all mankind, — the Gentile, as well as the Jew. 

9. What particular day did God reserve for the Sabbath, and com- 

mand man to keep ? 
"The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20 : 10. 

10. What does the Lord, through Isaiah, pronounce upon those who 

keep the Sabbath ? 
^'' Blessed is the man [any man] that doeth this, and the son of man that layeth 
hold on it ; that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and keepeth his hand 
from doing any evil." Isa. 56 : 2. 

11. How does he say the stranger (Gentile) should feel when uniting 

with his people ? 

"Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, 
saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people." Verse 3. 

12. What does he say he will do for the stranger who keeps his Sab- 

bath ? 

"Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve him, and 
to love the name of the Lord, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the 
Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant ; even them will I 
bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer. ' ' 
Verses 6, 7. This must refer to the Christian dispensation, because in the old 
dispensation none were placed above his chosen people. But since they were 
cast off for their unbelief, the stranger may be raised to the place occupied by 
his former people. This promise is to those who will keep his Sabbath. 

13. What two classes did Paul once address at Antioch on the Sab- 

bath ? 



1V\L C^LU1\\.L SK^^^IW. 203 

" Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand said, Alen of Israel, and ye that 
fear God, give audience." Acts 13: 16. Compare this with verse 42. It 
would seem that the Gentiles who feared God were assembled with the Jews, 
for Sabbath worship. 

14. Where did the apostle find Gentile women observing the Sabbath? 

" And from thence to Pliilippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, 
and a colony ; and we were in that city abiding certain days. And on the 
Sabbath we went out of the city by a river-side, where prayer was wont to be 
made ; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither." 
Acts 16 : 12, 13. This is where the Philippian church was raised up, which 
was, without doubt, a church of seventh-day observers. 

15. At Corinth, what two classes assembled on the Sabbath to listen to 

the apostle's discourses ? 

"And he reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jeivs and 
I the Greeks [Gentiles]." Acts 18 : 4. 

16. How long had Moses and the prophets been read in the syna- 

gogues ? and how extensively were they taught? 

" For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the 
synagogues every Sabbath day.''"' Acts 15 : 21. 
Note. — The fact is, the Sabbath was the only regular time for reading the 
Scriptures, and if the Gentiles heard of God, and obeyed him, they must have 
attended Sabbath M'orship the same as the Jews. Besides, there was no other 
instruction from God, for either Jew or Gentile, except that contained in the 
Scriptures, which have ever taught that the seventh day is the Sabbath. 

17. Of what two classes was the " congregation of Israel " made up ? 

" And a mixed multitude zuent up also zuith them ; and flocks, and herds, even very 
much cattle." Ex. 12:38. 

18. How were these " strangers " regarded ? 

" One law shall be to him that is home-born, and tint the stranger that sojourneth 
among you." Verse 49. 

19. Who murmured against Moses and Aaron after entering the wil- 

derness? 

" And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and 
Aaron in the wilderness." Ex. 16 : 2. All of them murmured, both Israelites 
and Gentiles. 

20. How did God prove the whole congregation ? 

"Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you : 
and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may 
prove them, whether they will walk in my lazv, or no.^'' Verse 4. 

2 1. How did the people stand the test ? 

" And it came to pass, that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for 
to gather, and they found none. And the Lord said unto Moses, How long 
refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws ? " Verses 27, 28. 



204 T\AL GLU1\^^ S^^^f\■\\^. 

2 2. How did all " the people " heed this stern rebuke ? 
" So the people rested ow. the seventh day." Verse 30, 
Note. — Here were the Egyptians (a mixed imiltitude) with the Israelites, and 
all were included among the murmurers. All were proved by God's law of 
the Sabbath, whether they would keep it or not, and that thirty days, at least, 
before its formal delivery upon Sinai. In this case, Israelite and Egyptian 
(Jew and Gentile) were treated alike — both were obliged to observe the Sab- 
bath. 

23. What instruction did Moses immediately begin giving to the 

people ? 

" When they have a matter, they come unto me; and I judge between one and 
another, and I do make them know the statutes of God, and his laws.'''' Ex. 
18 : 16. The' Gentiles thus received instruction with the Jews. 

24. When God gave the Sabbath commandment from Sinai, did he 

mention these Gentiles by name ? 

" The seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; in it thou shalt not do any 
work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid-serv- 
ant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is zuithin thy gates. ''^ Ex. 20 : 10. 
Here the stranger (Gentile) was forbidden to do work on the Sabbath just the 
same as the Israelite. There was no difference. Is it strange, then, that we 
find them in Paul's day assembled for divine worship on the Sabbath to hear 
Moses and the prophets read ? The seventh day is no more a Jewish than a 
Gentile Sabbath ; for both have kept it by divine command from the begin- 
ning. 

25. What prayer did Solomon offer at the dedication of the temple, 

concerning the privileges and duties of the stranger ? 

" Moreover concerning a stranger, that is not of thy people Israel, . . . when he 
shall come and pray toward this house, hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, 
and do according to all that the stranger calleth to thee for ; that all people of 
the earth may know thy natne, to fear thee, as do thy people Israel.''^ I Kings 
8 : 41-43. 
Note. — Even Solomon did not forget the Gentile, but prayed God to give him 
the same privileges as he gave the Jew. If " all people of the earth " were 
to fear God as the people of Israel did then, they would certainly keep the 
Sabbath of the commandment, — the seventh day. 

26. When all the redeemed people of the earth shall come up to wor- 

ship before God in the new earth, what day will still be recog- 
nized by them ? 

"And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one 
Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the 
Lord." Isa. 66 : 23. Thus to all eternity will the creative power of Jehovah 
be commemorated by the redeemed of every tribe and nation of the earth. 




Would you fear to have your windows open 

times each, day, 
If sinners saw that you were kneeling 
Three times to pray ? 

Would you oflfer up a bold petition, 
' , Ifwell you knew 
That awful den of roaring lions 
Awaited you? 

The lesson taueht is not to offer 

A world- wide prayer : 
'Tis duty ^rs<, and then the promise 

Of heavenly care. 



Tfbe TVlii^is^^cition of good ^ngels. 



^S there a heavenly family ? 

■For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of 
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." Eph. 3 : 14, 15. 

2. By what name are the members of this family called ? 

" Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before 
the Lord." Job i : 6. 

By what name are they known to us ? 

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne." 
Rev. 5:11. 

Did angels exist before the death of any of the human family ? 

So he drove out the man : and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cheru- 
bim." Gen. 3 : 24. Cherub. — "A creature of a sacred and celestial na- 
ture." — Gesenitis. 

Who witnessed the laying of the foundations of the earth ? 

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened ? or who laid the corner-stone 
thereof ; when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God 
shouted for joy ? " Job 38 : 6, 7. 

How many of these beings did John see around the throne ? 

And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and 
the beasts and the elders ; and the number of them was ten thoiisand times ten 
thousand, and thousands of thousands.'''' Rev. 5 : ii. 

[205] 




[2o6] 



ARE THEY NOT ALL MINISTERING SPIRITS? 



-. How does Paul speak of their number ? 

"But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heav- 
enly Jerusalem, and to an inniunerable company of angel s^ Heb. 12 : 22. 

8. What shows that those angels sent to Abraham were real beings ? 

"And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it be- 
fore them ; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.''' Gen. 
18:8; 19:3. 

9. What seems to be one of the principal employments of the angels? 

"And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence 
of God ; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings." 
Luke I : 19 *, Ps. 103 : 20, 21. 

10. To whom do they minister ? 

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be 
heirs of salvation ? " Heb. I : 14. 

11. How do they minister to God's people? 

"The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth 
them." Ps. 34 : 7. 

12. Give examples of their ministrations. 

"My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions'' mouths, that they have not 
hurt me : forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me." Dan. 6 : 22. 
See also 2 Kings 6 : 8-17 ; Dan. 9 : 21 ; 10 : 12 ; Acts 12 : 5-11. 

13. When Nebuchadnezzar commanded all his subjects to worship 

the golden image, and the three Hebrews were cast into the 
fiery furnace for refusing to obey his edict, how were they pro- 
tected from the ravages of the fire ? 

"I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt ; 
and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God." "Then Nebuchadnezzar 
spake, and said. Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 
who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and 
have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not 
serve nor worship any god, except their own God." Dan. 3 : 25, 28. 

14. When Elijah was to take his forty days' journey from near Beer- 

sheba to Mount Horeb, how was he strengthened for the task ? 

" And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and 
said. Arise and eat ; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, 
and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and 
forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God." i Kings 19 : 7, 8. 

15. What interest do angels have in the plan of salvation? 

" Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of Ciod over 
one sinner that repenteth." Luke 15 : lo. 



208 B\^V.^ RLND\HG»S. 



i6. Before whom are we said to speak when excusing ourselves from 
a vow ? 

" Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not 
pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin ; neithe?- say thou before 
the angel, that it v^^as an error ; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, 
and destroy the work of thine hands ? " Eccl. 5 : 5, 6. 

17. For what must men give account in the judgment? 

" But I say unto you. That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give 
account thereof in the day of judgment." Matt. 12 : 36 ; Eccl. 12 : 13, 14. 

18. From what will they be judged ? 

" And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God ; and the books were 
opened : and another book was opened, which is the book of life ; and the 
dead were judged out of those things zvhich zvere written in the books, accord- 
ing to their works." Rev. 20 : 12. 

19. Are the actions of men recorded? 

" And the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written 
before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name," . 
Mai. 3:16; Isa. 65 : 5, 6 ; Jer. 2 : 22. 

20. When the judgment books are opened, will the angels be pres- 

ent to minister before God ? 

" A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him ; thousand thousands min- 
istered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him ; the 
judgment was set, and the books were opened." Dan. 7 : 10. 
Note. — Since the angels are our ministering spirits, and our lives are open be- 
fore them, it is reasonable to infer that they make the record of our lives. 
Then when the books are examined, they will of necessity be present, to min- 
ister before God. 

2 1. What will be done for those whose record shows them to have 
been overcomers ? 

" He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment ; and I will not 
blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before 
viy Father, and before his angels.'''' Rev. 3:5. 

22. When that work is done, and the Saviour comes to gather those 

who have been accounted his, who will come with him? 

" For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father zvith his angels ; and 
then he shall reward every man according to his works." Matt. 16 : 27. 

23. What part will they act at this time ? 

"And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall 
gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the 
other." Matt. 24 :3i. 



24. Where will the saints go ? 

"Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught tip together with them in the 
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air ; and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 
I Thess. 4 : 17. 

25. What shout of triumph will they raise as they come out of their 

graves ? 
" O death, where is thy sting ? O grave, where is thy victory ? " i Cor. 15 : 55. 

26. What will be the final song of victory ? 

"And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, 
saying, Great and marvelous are thy works. Lord God Almighty ; just and 
true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Rev. 15 :3. 



^^•<- 



I LAMB of God ! still keep me 
' Near to thy wounded side ; 
'Tis only there in safety 

And peace I can abide ! 
What foes and snares surround me, 

What doubts and fears within ! 
The grace that sought and found me. 
Alone can keep me clean. 

'Tis only in thee hiding 

I know my life secure — 
Only in thee abiding. 

The conflict can endure : 
Thine arm the victory gaineth 

O'er every hateful foe ; 
Thy love my heart sustaineth 

In all its care and woe. 

Soon shall my eyes behold thee, 

With rapture, face to face ; 
One half hath not been told me 

Of all thy power and grace : 
Thy beauty. Lord, and glory, 

The wonders of thy love, 
Shall be the endless story 

Of all the saints above. 



14 





0i^igin, gistoi^xf, and Destiny of gatan, 

E any others than the human family sinned ? 

God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and 
delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 
2 Peter 2 : 4. 

2. What is the name of him who led them to sin ? 

"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his 
angels." Matt. 25 :4I. 

3. Is he known by any other name ? , 

"And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, 
which deceiveth the whole world." Rev. 12:9. 

4. Where was his abode before he fell ? 

" And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Luke 
10:18. 

5. What was his position in heaven ? 

"Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth ; and I have set thee so ; thou wast 
upon the holy mountain of God ; thou hast walked up and down in the midst 
of the stones of fire." Eze. 28 : 14. 

6. What was his condition when created ? 

" Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou Avast created, till iniquity 
was found in thee." Verse 15. 
[210] 



7. Why was he cast from his high position? 

" By the multitude of thy merchandise they have filled the midst of thee with vio- 
lence, and thou hast sinned ; therefore I will cast thee as profane out of the 
mountain of God ; and I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst 
of the stones of fire." Verse 16. 

8. Where were the cherubim placed in the earthly sanctuary erected 

by Moses ? 

" And after the second vail, the tabernacle which is called the holiest of all ; 
which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round 
about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's 
rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant ; and over it the cherubim of 
glory shadowing [covering] the mercy-seat.'''' Heb. 9 : 3-5 ; Ex. 25 : 16-22. 

9. Of what was this sanctuary a pattern ? 

"It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be 
purified with these." Heb. 9 : 23 ; 8 : 1-5. 

10. Is there a temple in heaven, containing the ark of the testament, 

or covenant ? 

" And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple 
the ark of his testament.'''' Rev. ll : 19. 

11. In the earthly sanctuary, where did God dwell by the symbol of 

his presence ? 

" I will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat, /rc^z between the two cher- 
tcbim which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give 
thee in commandment unto the children of Israel." Ex. 25 : 22. 

12. Where is God's throne in heaven? 

"The Lord reigneth : let the people tremble ; he sitteth between the cherubim ; let 
the earth be moved." Ps. 99 : i. 
Note. — The answer to question 5 shows that Satan was a covering cherub. The 
covering cherubim in the earthly sanctuary were but types of those who 
really overshadow the heavenly mercy-seat, one of whom was Satan himself, 
before his fall from heaven. 

13. When cast out of the mountain of God, to what place was Satan 

banished, to be kept till the judgment ? 

"For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and 
delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 
2 Peter 2 : 4. 

Notes. — The word here rendered, "cast down to hell," is ragTagou) {tartaroo), 
a verb, from which we have tartarus. Mr. Parkhurst, in his Greek Lexicon, 
defines tartarus thus: "Tartarus, in its proper, physical sense, is the con- 
densed, solid, and immovable darkness tvhich surrounds the universe.''^ 

Dr. A. Clarke says : " Darkness bounds them [the evil angels] on all 
sides." 




[212] 



THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST. 



14. What has been the character of Satan ever since he has had access 

to this world ? 

"He that committeth sin is of the Devil; iox the Devil sinneth from the begin- 
ning.'''' I John 3 : 8. 

15. Was he ever in the truth? 

"Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do ; he vi^as 
a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth.'''' John 8 : 44. 

16. What is the only "beginning" of which we have any knowledge? 
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Gen. i : i. 

17. What has been the result of Satan's bringing sin into the world 

through our first parents ? 

"And w^e know that we are of God, and tJie ivhole world lieth in zuickedness.''^ 
I John 5 : 19. 

18. When Christ came to redeem the world, what did Satan do to him? 

" And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. And he was there 
in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan ; and was with the wild beasts ; 
and the angels ministered unto him." Mark I : 12, 13. See also Matt, 
4:1-11. 

19. How severely was he tempted ? 

" For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our 
infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin," 
Heb. 4: 15. 

20. Has the church suffered persecution since the days of Christ ? 

" And when the dragon [Satan, see verse 9] saw that he was cast unto the earth, 
he persecuted the woman [the church]." Rev. 12 : 13. 

Note. — From fifty to one hundred million of the people of God have been 
put to death since the Christian era by papists alone, to say nothing of the 
many millions who have suffered martyrdom at the hands of pagan perse- 
cutors. See "Buck's Theological Dictionary," and any commentary or 
church history. See also reading on " A Remarkable Symbol," p. 29. 

21. Will the last, or remnant, church feel his wrath? and why? 

" And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the rem- 
nant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testi- 
mony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12 : 17. 

22. How will he deceive men in the closing work of the gospel ? 

" And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which 
he had power to do in the sight of the beast." Rev. 13 : 14, This refers to 
the work of Spiritualism. See the next reading, and also "The Last Nation 
Noticed in Prophecy," p. 226. 



23. What will be the tendency of this work ? 

" For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the 
kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that 
great day of God Almighty.'''' Rev. 16 : 14. 

24. Why will men be thus allowed to fall under the delusion of Satan? 

" They received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this 
cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie, that 
they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in 
unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2 : 10-12. 

25. What will be his last work? 

" And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 
and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the 
earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle^ the number of whom 
is as the sand of the sea." Rev. 20 : 7, 8. 

26. As Satan and his host compass the camp of the saints, what will 

take place ? 

"And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the 
saints about, and the beloved city ; and fire came down from God out of 
heaven, and devoured them." Verse 9. 

27. What doom will he finally meet? 

"I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee. 
All they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee : thou 
shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more.''' Eze. 28 : 18, 19 ; Heb. 
2:14. 

28. What exhortation is given to Christians in view of Satan's hatred 

of them ? 
"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary, the Devil, as a roaring lion, 
walketh about, seeking whom he may devour ; whom resist steadfast in the 
faith." I Peter 5 : 8, 9. 








Wicked spirits gather round thee^ 

Legions of those foes to God — 
Principalities most mighty — 

Walk unseen the earth abroad ; 
They are gathering to the battle. 

Strengthened for the last deep strife . 
Christian, arm ! be watchful, ready, 

Struggle manfully for life. 



gpii^itualism. 



1^: 



HAT is Spiritualism defined to be ? 



A belief in the frequent communication of intelligence from the world of 
spirits, by means of physical phenomena, commonly manifested through a per- 
son of special susceptibility, called a medium." — Webster. 
"The very central truth of Spiritualism is the power and possibility of spirit re- 
turn, under certain conditions, to communicate with those in the material 
form." — A". F. Ravlin, Spiritualist lecturer, of Calif ornia. 

2. Did this doctrine exist in ancient times ? 

" Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be de- 
filed by them : I am the Lord your God." Lev. 19 :3i. 

"The phenomenal aspect of modern Spiritualism reproduces all essential princi- 
ples of the magic, witchcraft, and sorcery of the past. The same powers are 
involved, the same intelligences are operating." — f. jf. Morse, in '■'■Prac- 
tical Occultism,'^'' p. 8j. 

3. How do-es God regard sorcerers ? 

" And I will come near to you to judgment ; and / will be a swift witness against 
the sorcerers y Mai. 3:5. 

4. What does he call the sorcerers ? 

" Therefore hearken not ye to . . . your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers ; . . . 
for they prophesy a lie unto you to remove you far from your land." Jer. 
27 : 9, 10. 

[215] 



216 ^\^V.L HLk\^\UaS. 



5. What was the ancient law concerning witches, and those who had 

familiar spirits ? 

" A man also or woman that hath a familiar spirit, or that is a wizard, shall surely 
be put to death.'''' Lev. 20 : 27 ; Deut. 18 : IO-12 ; Ex. 22 : 18. 

6. With what is witchcraft classed by Paul ? 

'■'^ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, here- 
sies. ... I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things 
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.'''' Gal. 5 : 20-23. 

7. What should one do if asked to inquire of a familiar spirit ? 

" And when they shall say unto you. Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and 
unto wizards that peep and that mutter : shozild not a people seek unto their 
God?'' Isa. 8: 19. 

8. Is it possible to test every spirit? 

"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God.'''' 
I John 4:1. 

9. By what are we to try them ? 

" To the law and to the testimony : if they speak not according to this word, it is 
because there is no light in them." Isa. 8 : 20. 

10. Should we have any confidence in signs or wonders presented by 

those who would try to lead us away from God ? 

" And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying. 
Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them ; 
thou shall not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of 
dreams ; for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the 
Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Deut. 13 : 2, 3. 

11. What course should one pursue under these circumstances? 

"Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear him, and keep his command- 
ments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto hi?n.'" 
Verse 4. That is, one should have nothing to do with such work ; but rather 
cling to the word of God. 

12. We are directed to the "law and to the testimony," by which to 

try these spirits that assert to be voices from the dead. After 
one dies, how much does he know of what is going on among 
men ? 

" Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away. His sons come to 
honor, and he knoweth it not ; and they are brought low, but he perceiveth it 
not of the 771.''' Job 14 : 20, 21. 

13. Does he know anything, or have any memory ? 

" For the living know that they shall die ; but the dead know not anything, neither 
have they any more a reward ; for the memory of them is forgotten.''' Eccl. 
9=5- 



S?\RUU!\USVJ\. 217 



14. What does the wise man add, that forever precludes the idea that 

the dead come back to earth to communicate with the living ? 

" Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished ; 7ieither have 
they any more a portion forevej' in anything that is done binder the sun.'''' 
Verse 6. 
Note. — Not only does Spiritualism contradict the Bible in this particular, but it 
embraces free-lovism, though all Spiritualists do not advocate it. It denies 
the efficacy of the blood of Christ. The pagan idea of the transmigration of 
souls is also largely advocated by its adherents. It is anti- Christ. 

15. Then when miracles are performed by spirits purporting to be 

, those of our dead friends, to what may we attribute them ? 

'* For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings 
of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great 
day of God Almighty." Rev. 16 : 14. 

16. What will be characteristic of "last day" apostasies from the 

faith ? 

"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter 'times some shall depart 
from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.'''' I Tim. 
4:1. That is, they will be inclined to accept the doctrines of Spiritualism. 

17. How will Satan deceive the people ? 

" And no marvel ; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.'''' 2 Cor. 
II -.14. 

18. What role will his agents assume before the end? 

"Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers 
of righteousness.'''' Verse 15. 

19. Is it probable that Satan, with his agents, will try to personate the 

coming of Christ, by signs and wonders ? 

" Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not ; 
for there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great 
signs and wonders ; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the 
very elect." Matt. 24 : 23, 24. 

20. 'After these signs and wonders are shown, what is immediately to 

take place ? 

" The Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy zvith the 
brightness of his coming ; even him whose coming is after the working of 
Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness 
of unrighteousness in them that perish." 2 Thess. 2 : 8-10. 

21. What will those say then, who have maintained their love for the 

truth ? 

" And it shall be said in that day, Lo, THIS is our God, we have waited for him, 
and he will save us : this is the Lord ; we have waited for him, we will be 
glad and rejoice in his salvation." Isa. 25 : 9. 







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TVliUennium. 



HAT great event will take place at the coming of Christ? 

"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with 
the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in 
Christ shall rise first ; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught 
up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air." 
I Thess. 4 : i6, 17. 

Where will the saints then be taken ? 

/n my Father'' s house are many mansions ; if it were not so, I would have 
told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place 
for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself." John 14 : 2, 3. 

In what condition will the earth be after the coming of Christ ? 

I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form., and void ; and the heavens, and 
they had no light." "I beheld, and, lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, 
and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the Lord, and by 
his fierce anger." Jer. 4 : 23, 26 ; Isa. 24 : 1-3. 

Will any man be living on the earth at that time ? 

I beheld, and, lo, there was tio man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled." 
Jer. 4 : 25 ; Zeph. i : 3. 

What is to become of those who are not caught up to heaven with 
the Lord ? 

The Lord hath a controversy with the nations ; he will plead with all flesh ; he 
will give them that are luicked to the sword, saith the Lord." Jer. 25 : 31 ; 
2 Thess. I : 7, 8. 



6. How long will these resurrected saints reign with Christ 
heaven ? 



m 



And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them : 
and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and 
for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his im- 
age, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands ; 
and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.''"' Rev. 20 : 4. 

[219] 



220 ^\^V.^ V\^I\^\UGS. 



Note. — These who are seen sitting on thrones of judgment, were at one time 
dead. Some of them were beheaded for Christ's sake. But the record says 
they lived. Their time during the thousand years is spent in meting out judg- 
ment to the wicked. I Cor. 6 : 2, 3. 

7. When were these made to live ? 

"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection : on such the 
second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, 
and shall reign xvith him a thousand years' Rev. 20 : 6. 

8. How long will the wicked remain in their graves ? 

"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." 
Verse 5. 

9. What will be Satan's condition during the thousand years ? 

"And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, 
and bound him a thousand years.'''' Verse 2. 

10. Where will he be kept? 

" And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him." 
Verse 3, first part. 

11. Where is the bottomless pit? 

" And he opened the bottomless pit ; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the 
smoke of a great furnace ; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason 
of the smoke of the pit." Rev. 9 : 2. 
Note. — If smoke out of this pit should arise to darken the sun and our atmosphere, 
it is evidence that the pit itself is located here on the earth. The primary 
signification of the word is, literally, abyss, and is thus given by the American 
Bible Union. The same word is in some places in the Bible translated 
"deep." The Septuagint thus uses it in expressing the original condition of 
the earth in Gen. I : 2 : "And darkness was upon the face of the deep.'''' 
Having previously learned that during the 1,000 years the earth has again be- 
come "without form and void," we conclude that Satan's place of confine- 
ment is on this earth, in its chaotic condition. 

12. What is Satan's occupation up to the time of his binding? 

" Be sober, be vigilant ; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walk- 
eth about, seeking whom he may devour.'''' I Peter 5 : 8. 

13. In what sense are we to understand the binding of Satan ? 

The saints are taken to heaven at the coming of Christ, and the wicked fall dead 
at his presence, to remain thus during the thousand years. Satan's occupation 
is gone ; there is nothing left for him to do but to wander over the desolate 
earth, and view the terrible work of which he is the author. There is no one 
for him to tempt, and he is therefore bound in his operations. 

14. What will release Satan from this condition ? 

"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished." 
" And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his 



prison." Rev. 20 : 5, 7. When the wicked are raised from the dead, that 
looses Satan ; for he then has opportunity of resuming his former work of de- 
ception. 

15. For how long a period will he be loosed ? 

" That he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be 
fulfilled : and after that he must be loosed a little season^ Verse 3, latter 
part. 

16. In what work will he immediately engage ? 

" And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the 
earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, the number of whom 
is as the sand of the sea." Verse 8. 

Note. — At this time the city of God, the New Jerusalem, with the saints, will 
have come down and taken its place on the earth. Rev. 21:2. Satan will 
then inspire the wicked, who have been raised from the dead, with the thought 
that they can take it for their own. 

17. What will be the result of their effort to take the city ? 

"And they -went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the 
saints about, and the beloved city : andyfr,? came down from God out of heaven, 
and devoured them.'''' Rev. 20 : 9. 

18. What Statement will thus be fulfilled? 

" Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land : 
when the wicked are cut off, thou shall see it.'''' Ps. 37 : 34. 

19. How many will escape this second death ? 

" Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection : on such the second 
death hath no power." Rev. 20 : 6. 

20. What will be the effect of the fire ? 

" For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, 
and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble : and the day that cometh shall 
burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor 
branch.'''' Mai. 4:1. 

2 1. What, besides the wicked, will feel the effect of this fire ? 

"But the heavens [atmospheric heavens] and the earth, tvhich are now, by the same 
word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and per- 
dition of ungodly men." 2 Peter 3 : 7. 

22. What will be the result ? 

"And the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also ; and the works 
that are therein shall be burned up.'''' Verse 10. 

23. Then what will come ? 

" Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, 
wherein dwelleth righteousness." Verse 13. 



24. Who will inherit the new earth ? 

" For evil-doers shall be cut off ; but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall in- 
herit the earth." Ps. 37 : 9. 

25. What will be their condition there? 

"But the meek shall inherit the earth ; and shall delight themselves in the abun- 
dance of peace. ' ' Verse 1 1 . 

26. How will every intelligent creature in the universe then show his 

appreciation of the gift of eternal life ? 

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, 
and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying. Blessing, 
and honor, and glory, and power, be ttttto him that sitteth upon the thro7ie, 
and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5 : 13. 



•>•#•<• 



[HE dead in Christ shall first arise, 
At the last trumpet's sounding, — 
Caught up to meet him in the skies, 

With joy their Lord surrounding ; 
No gloomy fears their souls dismay. 
His presence sheds eternal day 
On those prepared to meet him. 

But sinners filled with guilty fears, 
Behold his wrath prevailing ; 

For they shall rise, and find their tears 
And sighs are unavailing : 

The day of grace is past and gone ; 

Trembling they stand before the throne, 
All unprepared to meet him. 

Great God ! what do I see and hear ? 

The end of things created ! 
The Judge of man I see appear 

On clouds of glory seated : 
Beneath his cross I view the day 
When heaven and earth shall pass away, 

And thus prepare to meet him. 




Increase of }^nov\?lecIge, 



CCORDING to the words of the angel to Daniel, when 
might the world look for an increase of knowledge ? 

" But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even 
to the tit?ie of the end ; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge 
shall be increased." Dan. 12 : 4. It could not be shut up till the 
end itself ; for then no time would be left in M'hich to develop knowledge. 
The "time of the end," as spoken of in the text, refers to a period just 
prior to the end, in which a wonderful increase of knowledge was anticipated. 

Under the Roman power, how long were the saints to be per- 
secuted ? 

And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge, and to 
make them white, even to the time of the end ; because it is yet for a time 
appoint edy Dan. II 135. The time of the end, it appears from this text, 
was even then an appointed time, in the mind of God. This is not strange, 
when we learn that the judgment and the end itself are both said to be ap- 
pointed times, in the Scriptures. Acts 17 131 ; Dan. 8 : 19. 

How long, according to the prophecy, was the little horn, which 
represents the Roman power, to persecute the saints ? 

And he shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall wear out the 
saints of the Most High, and think to change times and, laws ; and they shall 
be given into his hand uittil a time and times and the dividing of time.'''' 
Dan. 7 :25. 

[223] 



224 B\^\.^ R^N\^\HGS. 



Notes. — From the reading on " A Remarkable Symbol," p. 29, we learn that 
the "time, times, and the dividing of time" signify 1260 years ; and these 
extend from A. D. 538, the time when the papacy received its power over the 
church of God, to A. D. 1798, the time when this power was broken. This, 
then, locates the commencement of the "time of the end " in 1798. Up to 
that point the book of Daniel, with other books, was to be closed up, or in 
other words, shut away from the people. But when the power was broken 
that had placed this embargo on the word of God, and had tried to stamp it 
out of existence, then light began to shine in every direction. It is a singular 
coincidence that immediately following the overthrow of the papal power, in 
1798, the British and Foreign Bible Society was organized ; and the Bible has 
since been translated into more than two hundred dialects, and sent to every 
part of the globe. Before that time, a knowledge of the Bible was confined 
to a few ; but now the humblest person has access to its pages, and may have 
as good a knowledge of its contents as the most exalted one in the land. A 
little more than one hundred years ago there was not a Sabbath-school in the 
world, the first one being organized by Robert Raikes, at Gloucester, 
England, in 1784. Now every town and almost every neighborhood has its 
Sunday-school, where the Bible is taught. There are about 16,500,000 
Sunday-school pupils in the world, and nearly 2,000,000 Sunday-school 
teachers, one half of whom are in the United States. 

The Illustrated Christian Weekly, March 6, 1886, says: "The London 
Religious Tract Society was organized in 1799 ; the British and Foreign Bible 
Society, in 1804 ; the American Bible Society, in 1816 ; and the American 
Tract Society, in 1825 ; so that the average age of these four great societies is 
75 years. Their cash receipts have been over $112,000,000 (;^23, 140,495), 
or an average of over $1,009 (.^^208) a day for each, during their entire ex- 
istence. The issues of the two tract societies would be equal to a two-page 
tract for every inhabitant of the globe. Since 1880 the issues of the two 
Bible societies have averaged over 10,000 copies for each business day, while 
their issues for 1885 were over 17,000 copies a day, 28 per minute, reckoning 
ten hours per day. From these two sources alone, not including the seventy 
other Bible societies, over 150,000,000 copies of the word of God have gone 
forth over the world during this nineteenth century." 

4. In the line of scientific inventions, have there been any remark- 

able developments since 1798? 

"More has been done in the course of the fifty years of our lifetime than in all 
the previous existence of the race." — London Spectator. 

"The great facts of the nineteenth century stand out so conspicuously above the 
achievements of any preceding century, that it would be affectation of humil- 
ity not to recognize and speak of them." — Unioit Hand- Book, iSjo. 

" The most striking characteristic of our times is the rapid strides which the world 
is making in science, general intelligence, and inventions." — Chicago Repub- 
lican, March 14, j8y2. 

" Never was there such activity of invention within the history of mankind as at 
the present day." — Phrenological yournal, April, iSji. 

5. When were some of the principal inventions brought out? 



\UCR^KSL OV \^HO\NV.^\)G^, 



The steamboat in 1807; steam printing-press in 181 1 ; railroad cars in 1825 ; 
reaper and mower in 1833 ; telegraph in 1837 ; sewing-machine in 1846 ; 
telephone in 1876. It will be noticed that none of these inventions antedate 
1798. 

6. What is said of the quality of the work now turned out by some 

of the improved machinery ? 

The Phrenological Journal, December, 1870, says of the watch manufactories: 
" There are those [machines] which will take a shaving off a hair, or slice up 
steel like an apple ; those which will drill holes invisible to the naked eye ; 
registers which will measure the ten thousandth part of an inch ; screw-cut- 
ters which will turn out perfect screws so small that, on white paper, they 
appear like tiny dots." 

Notes. — " Go back only a little more than half a century, and the world . . . 
stood about where it did in the days of the patriarchs. Suddenly the waters 
of that long stream over whose drowsy surface scarcely a ripple of improve- 
ment had passed for three thousand years, broke into the white foam of vio- 
lent agitation. The world awoke from the slumber and darkness of ages. 
The divine finger lifted the seal from the prophetic books, and brought that 
predicted period when men should run to and fro, and knowledge should 
be increased. Men bound the elements to their chariots, and, reaching up, 
laid hold upon the very lightning, and made it their message-bearer around 
the world." — Marvel of Nations, pp. 148, j_jo. 

The question may arise as to why the mind of man has been so suddenly 
endowed with the inventive faculty, in so much greater degree than in past 
ages. There must be a design in it. Before the final end, the world is to 
hear the message of the Lord's coming. Had no more rapid means of con- 
veyance and communication been found than existed a century ago, it would 
have been impossible to communicate such a message to one generation. But 
such a work must be done for the last generation. Suppose that the message 
of the Lord's coming should begin to sound in the generation preceding the 
one which was to see the culminating events, and when it has gone partly 
over the world, that generation dies, and another comes on the stage. Every 
one can see that the same territory must be gone over again before the Lord's 
coming, in order to have the last generation warned of the event. Then the 
last generation everywhere must hear the message, and this calls for rapid 
transit, and lightning couriers to bear the tidings to various parts of the earth. 

7. What has the Saviour said should precede the end? 

" And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness 
unto all nations ; and then shall the end come." Matt. 24 : 14. 
Note. — Luther, the Wesleys, and others could not, in their day, proclaim the 
Lord's coming to be near, as the full development of these signs had not 
taken place. But now, the gospel has gone to nearly every tribe in the 
world ; the sun and moon have been darkened, and the stars have fallen, 
as predicted by our Saviour. (See reading on " Our Lord's Great Proph- 
ecy," p. 35.) He then adds, "When ye shall see all these things, know 
that it is near, even at the doors." Matt. 24 : 33. That event is now the 
next in order. 

15 



j)FCLABATIO\ r r r r > 



W\. DOLIU G^LI\1 ^OU\)LRS 



ha^ plundered our ^cas rd\agcd 
(jircox5t'> burntourtown anddc 
iro3td the Inesof ou people Ht 
is t tin ■, time transportin laigt 
;irmies nf foreign mercenaries to 
complete the work of death, deso- 
lation, and tyranny already begun 
with ciro 
scarcely p 





T^be [^ast n^tio^^ Hotieed in prophecy. 

HAT symbol is introduced in Rev. 12:3? 

" And there appeared another wonder in heaven ; and, behold, a great 
red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his 
heads." 

At what time in the world's history did this symbol apply ? 

"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed loith 
the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve 
stars." Verse i. 

Note. — In symbolic prophecy, a woman represents a church. Eze. 23 : 2-4; 
Rev. 17 : 3-6. The above text presents the Christian church clothed with the 
light of the sun (the light and glory of the gospel dispensation) and the moon 
(the Mosaic dispensation) under her feet. The crown of twelve stars on her 
head may represent the twelve apostles. 

3. What did the dragon design to do to the child about to be born 

to the church ? 

"And the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to 
devour her child as soon as it was born." Rev. 12:4. 

4. What became of the child ? 

" And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron : 
and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.'''' Verse 5. Christ 
the Lord is the only one to whom the prophecy can apply. Heb. 12:2. 
[226] 



^HL LNST HK^VOU H01\CL\) \H PHOPU^C^ . 227 

5. Who sought to slay Christ as soon as he was born ? 

"Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding 
wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and 
in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time 
which he had diligently inquired of the wise men." Matt. 2 : 16. Herod 
was a Roman governor. The dragon, then, represents the work of Satan un- 
der the pagan Roman power. 

6. What symbol was next seen by the prophet ? 

" And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and sazo a beast rise up out of the sea, hav- 
ing seven heads ajid ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his 
heads the name of blasphemy." Rev. 13 : i. 

7. From what did this government receive its seat and power ? 

" And the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority." Verse 
2, latter part. 
Note. — It is an undisputed point in history that, when Constantine removed the 
seat of his empire from Rome to Constantinople, in A. D. 330, the city of Rome 
was given up to the bishop of Rome, who, in 538, became the head of all 
the churches, and the corrector of heretics, by the decree of Justinian, the 
ruling emperor of the Romans. Thus Rome became the seat of the papacy, 
and the authority of the pope was derived from the decree of the dragon 
power. See " Croly on the Apocalypse," pp. 114, 115. 

8. What was to happen to this beast? 

" And I saw one of his heads as it 7uere wounded to death ; and his deadly wound 
was healed : and all the world wondered after the beast." Rev. 13 : 3. 

9. How was this wounding to be brought about ? 

'■'■ He that leadeth into captivity shall go itito captivity : he that killeth with the 
sword must be killed with the sword." Averse 10. 

10. Had the papacy led others into captivity? 

"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them ; 
and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations." Verse 
7. More than fifty million have been martyred by the Roman Church, be- 
cause they dared to differ with her in religious opinions. See " Fox's Book 
of Martyrs;" "The Wars of the Huguenots;" "Buck's Theological Dic- 
tionary," art. Persecutions ; histories of the Reformation, etc. 

11. When was the papal head wounded by being taken into captivity? 

In A. D. 1798. The French army under Berthier then abolished the papacy in 
Rome, proclaimed a republic there, and carried Pope Pius VI. a captive from 
place to place till he died at Valence, France, August 28, 1799. See reading, 
"A Remarkable Symbol," p. 29. 

12. At that time what additional symbol was seen by the prophet? 

^^ Kx\.d,W)Q\\€\.di another beast coming up otit of the earth ; and he had two horns 
like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon." Rev. 13 : 11. 



Notes. — Mr. Wesley, in his notes on Rev. 13, written in 1754, says of the two- 
horned beast : " He is not yet come, though he cannot be far off ; for he is to 
appear at the end of the forty-two months of the first beast." 

The previous beast came up out of the " sea," which indicates its rise among 
the peoples and nations then recognized (Rev. 17 : 15), while this one comes up 
out of the "earth." This would plainly indicate that the last beast would 
arise where there had not before been " peoples, multitudes, nations, and 
tongues." In 1798, when the papal power was going into captivity, its terri- 
tory covered the principal parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa ; and the only 
place for the two-horned beast to develop, would be in the Western Continent. 
Looking to this country, we find that the United States was the only independ- 
ent nation then occupying territory in which there had not been for ages, peo- 
ples, multitudes, and established nations. 

Speaking of the silent growth of this nation, Mr. G. A. Townsend, in his 
work, "The New World Compared with the Old," p. 635, says : " Like a si- 
lent seed we grew \n\.o empire." On p. 462 he further speaks of " the mystery 
of her coming forth from vacancy.'''' 

13. Has the United States " come up " sufficiently to warrant the ap- 

plication of the prophecy to this country ? 

The "Centennial History of the United States " says : "The extent of the con- 
ceded domain of the United States, in 1776, was not more than half a million 
square miles. Now (1875) it is more than three million three hundred thou- 
sand s(\\x2i.rQ miles. Its population then was three million; now it '^s forty 
million.'" At this writing (1888) it is about sixty million. 

14. What do the '' two horns like a lamb " represent? 

A horn represents a kingdom, or a component part of a kingdom, as in Dan. 7 : 
7, 8, 24, 25. Lamb- like horns would indicate youthfulness, innocence, and 
gentleness. The "two" horns may represent the two leading principles of 
the government, civil and religious liberty. 

15. Notwithstanding the lamb-like pretensions of this power, what is 

it ultimately to do ? 
"And he spake as a dragon." Rev. 13 : 11. 

16. What will he say ? 

"Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the 
beast., which had the wound by a sword, and did live." Verse 14, latter part. 
The beast " which had the wound by a sword and did live," is the papacy. 
That was a church clothed with the civil power. In other words, it enforced 
its religious dogmas by the civil power, under pain of confiscation of goods, 
imprisonment, and death. 

17. When the image to the beast has been formed in the United 

States, what will follow ? 

" And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the 
beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the 
image of the beast should be killed." Verse 15. 



18. How are the people to be led to form the image to the beast ? 

"And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles 
which he had power to do in the sight of the beast." Verse 14, first part. 

19. How much power will be exercised in the -matter? 

"And he exerciseth all the pozver of the first beast before hi??i, and causeth the 
earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly 
wound was healed." Verse 12. The "first beast before him" (the papal 
power) exercised the power of putting to death all who differed with them in 
religious faith. 

20. What will the two-horned-beast power try to enforce on the peo- 

ple ? 

" And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to re- 
ceive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." Verse 16. 

21. How far is this to be carried ? 

"And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of 
the beast, or the number of his name." Verse 17. That is, all who do not 
receive the mark are to be denied the right of citizenship. For the character-, 
istics of the beast itself, see the following reading. 




^be pirst Sx/Tnbol of ReYJelation 13, 



.ESCRIBE the first beast of Revelation 13. 

yj " And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the 
feet of a beat', and his mouth as the mouth of a lion.'''' Verse 2. 
Note. — The leopard beast of Daniel 7 represented Grecia (verse 6) ; the bear, 
Media and Persia (verse 5) ; and the lion, Babylon (verse 4). The character- 
istics of all these beasts are found in the beast of Revelation 13, which would 
seem to show that it would extend its territory over all the countries occupied 
by these kingdoms. The Roman government absorbed all these countries, 
and ruled over them. Other comparisons show that the first beast of Reve- 
lation 13 is the papacy, which controlled the governments of these countries 
by virtue of its ecclesiastical power. 

From what was the papacy developed ? 

• Let no man deceive you by any means ; for that day shall not come, except there 
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition." 
2 Thess. 2 : 3. 

In what was shown the first tangible evidence of " falling away " 
from the truth of God ? 

The adoption of heathen rites and customs. " The bishops augmented the num- 
ber of religious rites in the Christian worship, by way of accommodation to the 
infirmities and prejudices, both of Jews and heathens, in order to facilitate their 
conversion to Christianity. . . . For this purpose, they gave the name of 
mysteries to the institutions of the gospel, and decorated particularly the holy 
sacrament with that solemn title. They used in that sacred institution, as also 
in that of baptism, several of the terms employed in the heathen mysteries, 
and proceeded so far, at length, as even to adopt some of the ceremonies of 
which those renowned mysteries consisted."- — Maclaine' s Mosheim, cent. 2, 
part 2, chap. 4, paragraphs 2, 5. 

[231] 



232 ^\BV.L R^I\\^\HGS. 



4. How early was this tendency manifested ? 

" This imitation began in the eastern provinces ; but, after the time of Adrian [em- 
peror from A. D. 117 to 138], who first introduced the mysteries among the 
Latins, it was followed by the Christians who dwelt in the western parts of the 
empire." — Idem, par. 5. 

5. What has been the great characteristic of the papacy? 

A union of church and state, or a religious power dominating the civil power tO' 
further its own ends. 

6. When was the union of church and state formed, from which the 

papacy grew ? 
In the reign of Constantine, A. D. 312-337. 

7. What was the condition and work of most of the bishops at that 

time ? 

"Worldly minded bishops, instead of caring for the salvation of their flocks, were 
often but too much inclined to travel about, and entangle themselves in 
worldly concerns." — Neander'' s History of the Christian Religion and Churchy 
translated by Prof. Torrey, vol. 2, p. 16. 

8. What did the bishops determine to do ? 

"This theocratical theory was already the prevailing one in the time of Constan- 
tine ; and . . . the bishops voluntarily made themselves dependent on him 
by their disputes, and by their determination to make use of the potuer of the 
state for the furtherance of their aims.'''' — Id., p. 1^2. 
Note. — The "theocratical theory" was that of a government administered by 
the direct power of God. 

9. What was the outgrowth of that theory among the Roman bishops? 

" Let no man deceive you by any means ; for that day shall not come, except there 
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdi- 
tion ; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that 
is worshiped ; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing hiiiiself 
that he is God.''^ 2 Thess. 2 : 3, 4. 

10. When and by whom was the Council of Nice convened? — The 

Emperor Constantine, a. d. 325. 

11. Under what authority were its decrees published? 

"The decrees . . . were published under the imperial authority, and thus ob- 
tained a political importance." — Torrey'' s Neander, vol. 2, p. ijj. 

12. What was one of the principal objects in calling that council ? 

"The question relating to the observance of Easter, which was agitated in the time 
of Anicetus and Polycarp, and afterward in that of Victor, was still undecided. 
It was one of the principal reasons for convoking the Council of Nice, being 
the most important subject to be considered after the Arian controversy," — 
Boyle'' s Historical View of the Council of Nice, p. 22, ed. of i8jg. 



TH'l V\RS"T S^U^0\. OV R^\J^LM\0H \3. 233 



13. What was the particular question to be settled concerning Easter? 

"It appears that the churches of Syria and Mesopotamia continued to follow the 
custom of the Jews, and celebrated Easter on the fourteenth day of the moon, 
whether falling on Sunday or not. All the other churches observed that 
solemnity on Sunday only, viz., those of Rome, Italy, Africa, Lydia, Egypt, 
Spain, Gaul, and Britain." — Idem. 

14. How was the matter finally decided ? 

" Easter day was fixed on the Sunday immediately following the new moon which 
Avas nearest after the vernal equinox." — Idem, p. 2j. 

15. In his letter to the churches, urging the observance of this decree, 

what singular reason did Constantine assign for its observance? 

" Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews." 
— Idem, p. ^2. 

16. What did Sylvester, bishop of Rome under Constantine's reign, do 

by his "apostolic" authority, and with the approval of Con- 
stantine ? 

"That he indeed changed the names of all the days of the week into festal days ; 
as Polydorus mentions in book 6, chap. 5. Metaphrastes, however, relates 
that he retained the names of the days familiar to the Hebrews ; but that 

THE NAME OF THE FIRST DAY ALONE WAS CHANGED, WHICH HE CALLED 

THE Lord's day." — Historia Ecclesiastica per M. Ludovicum Lucium, 
cent. 4, cap. 10, pp. 7J9, 740, ed. Basilea, 1624. Library of Andover Theo- 
logical Seminary. 

17. What was decreed by the Council of Laodicea, a. d. 364? 

That the churches should keep the Sunday, and that if they persisted in resting 
on the Sabbath, "let them be accursed." See Andrews's History of the 
Sabbath, p. 362. 

18. What petition was made to the emperor by a church convention, 



"That the public shows might be transferred from the Christian Sunday, and from 
feast days, to some other days of the week." — Neander, vol. 2, p. joo. 

19. What was the object of these state laws ? 

"That the day might be devoted with less interruption to the purposes of devo- 
tion." " That the devotion of the faithful might be free from all disturb- 
ance." — Idem, pp. 2g'/, joi. 

20. How was their " devotion " disturbed ? 

"Church teachers . . . were, in truth, often forced to complain, that /// suck 
cojupetitions the theater was vastly more frequented than the church.''^ — Idem, 
p. 300. 



2 1. When the church had received help from the state to this extent, 
what more did she demand ? 

That the civil power should be exerted to compel men to serve God as the church 
should dictate. 

2 2. What did Augustine, the father of this theory, teach concerning it ? 

" Who doubts but what it is better to be led to God by instruction, than by fear of 
punishment or affliction ? But because the former, who will be guided only 
by instruction, are better, the others are still not to be neglected, . . . But 
many, like bad servants, must often be reclaimed to their master by the rod 
of temporal suffering, ere they can attain to this highest stage of religious 
development." — Idem, pp. 214, 21^. 

23. What is Neander's conclusion regarding this ? 

" It was by Augustine, then, that a theory was proposed and founded, which, tem- 
pered though it was, in its practical application, by his own pious, philan- 
thropic spirit, nevertheless contained the germ of that whole system of spir- 
itual despotism, of intolerance and persecution, which ended in the tribunals 
of the inquisition." — Idem, p. 21^. 
Note. — It was thus that the union of church and state was formed, out of which 
was developed "the beast" (papacy) which made "war with the saints" and 
overcame them. 



WILL never, never leave thee, 

I will never thee forsake ; 
I will guide, and save, and keep thee. 

For my name and mercy's sake : 
Fear no evil. 

Only all my counsel take. 

When the storm is raging round thee. 
Call on me in humble prayer ; 

I will fold my arms around thee. 

Guard thee with the tenderest care : 

In the trial, 
I will make thy pathway clear. 

When thy soul is dark and clouded, 
Filled with doubt, and grief, and care. 

Through the mists by which 'tis shrouded, 
I will make the light appear. 

And the banner 
Of my love I will uprear. 



S^S^^^^^B^S^S^e^^sX^JarS^Ssj^JSJ^S 




^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 



cr&nr' 






4(44-^4 ^t(4(MAMg?M^M»ffl^^^^ 




U[nion of C^^^^*^^ ^'^d State. 

Y what power did the papacy (symbolized by the first beast of 
Rev. 13) enforce its decrees? 

The church used the civil power for the furtherance of its designs. See the 
preceding reading. 

2. To what is the two-horned beast (the United States) to make an 

image ? 

"Saying to them that dwell on the earth, that i!/iey should make an image to the 
beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live." Rev. 13 : 14. 

3. Then for what may we look in the United States? 

For the religious power to rise to a position where it can dominate the civil, and 
employ the power of the state to carry forward its designs. 

4. Is there any evidence now that such an effort will be made ? 

A large and influential organization, called The National Reform Association, 
has been formed, and is now persistently working to that end. 

5. What is the avowed object of this association? 

"To secure such an amendment to the Constitution of the United States as shall 
suitably express our national acknowledgment of Almighty God as the source 
of all authority in civil government ; of the Lord Jesus Christ as the Ruler of 
nations ; and of his revealed will as of supreme authority ; and thus indicate 
that this is a Christian nation, and place all the Christian laws, institutions, 
and usages of the government on an undeniable legal basis in the funda- 
mental law of the land." 

6. What is the theory of the National Reformers ? 

" Every government by equitable laws, is a government of God ; a republic thus 
governed is of him, and is as truly and really a theocracy as the common- 
wealth of Israel." — Cincinnati National Reform Co7iventioit, p. 28. 

7. How does this association regard the Catholic Church on this 

point ? 

[235] 



236 B\^V.L R^k\)\UG.S. 



" We cordially, gladly, recognize the fact that, in South American Republics, in 
France and other European countries, the Roman Catholics are the recognized 
advocates of national Christianity, and stand opposed to all the proposals of 
secularism. . . . Whenever they are willing to co-operate in resisting the 
progress of political atheisfii, we will gladly join hands with them in a World's 
Conference for the promotion of national Christianity, which ought to be 
held at no distant day. !Many countries could be represented only by Ro- 
man Catholics." — Christian Statesuian (December ii, 1884J, official organ 
of the National Reform Association. 

8. What has the pope commanded all Catholics to do ? 

" All Catholics should do all in their power to cause the constitutions of states, and 
legislation to be modeled on the principles of the true church, and all Cath- 
olic writers and journalists should never lose sight, for an instant, of the 
view of the above prescription." — Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII., 188^. 

Note. — The prophecy has said that this power will make an image to the 
papacy. In the days of Constantine and his successors, the church made use 
of the civil power to carry out her own aims : through this the papacy was 
developed. In our own day the same theory is advocated, and prominent 
men in the nation are doing all they can to bring about the same result, 
which, when their work is completed, cannot fail in any particular to fulfill 
the specifications of the prophecy. The climax will be AN IMAGE OF THE 

PAPACY. 

9. What does the National Reform Association particularly demand 

of the government ? 

To stop all Sunday trains, discontinue all Sunday papers, and prohibit all manner 
of work on Sunday, so that their " devotion may not be hindered." 

10. What is there about Sunday trains that hinders religious devo- 

tions ? 

" They get a great many passengers, and so break up a great many congregations." 
— Elgin (III.) Sunday- Laiv Convention, N'ovember, 188'j. 

11. How does the Sunday newspaper interfere with devotion? 

"The laboring classes are apt to arise late on Sunday morning, read the Sunday 
papers, and alloza the hour of 7aorship to go by ttttheeded.'''' — Elgin Conven- 
tion. 
Note. — From the previous reading on "The First Symbol of Revelation 13," 
it will be seen that in the fourth century, Sunday games and the theater hin- 
dered the devotion of the " faithful," because the members attended them in 
preference to the church services. The church, in turn, demanded that the 
state interfere, and do what she herself had not piety enough to accomplish — 
stop them from doing that which the church deemed to be wrong ; and this 
was accomplished by removing from them the opportunity of transgressing. 
The same course is to be taken now, and it will not fail to produce the same 
results. 



12. AVhat testimony has been borne by early Reformers, concerning 

the sure results of a union of church and state ? 

Martin Luther wrote thus to the German emperor, after his trial at Worms : "In 
all the affairs of this life my fidelity [to the king] shall be unshaken ; for, in 
these, loss or gain has nothing to do with salvation. But it is contrary to the 
will of God that man should be subject to man in that which pertains to eter- 
nal life. Subjection in spirituals is a real worship, and should be rendered 
only to the Creator." 

Roger Williams once said: "The public or the magistrates may decide what 
is due from men to men, but when they attempt to prescribe a man's duty 
to God, they are out of place, and there can be no safety ; for it is clear that 
if the magistrate has the power, he may decree one set of opinions or beliefs 
to-day and another to-morrow, as has been done in England by different 
kings and queens, and by the different popes and councils in the Roman 
Church ; so that belief would become a heap of confusion." 

13. What opinions have been expressed by later authorities, adverse to 

the adoption of laws governing conscience ? 

" If I had any idea that the general government was so administered that the liberty 
of conscience was endangered, I pray you be assured that no man would be 
more willing than myself to revise and alter that part of it, so as to avoid all relig- 
ious persecutions. You can, without doubt, remember that I have often ex- 
pressed my opinion, that every man who conducts himself as a good citizen is 
accountable to God alone for his religious faith, and should be protected in 
worshiping God according to the dictates of his own conscience." — George 
Washington, in reply to a question as to the design of tJie Constitution. 

Townsend, the historian, says : "Church and state have several times crept into 
American politics, as in the contentions over the Bible in the public schools, 
the Anti-Catholic party of 1854, etc. Our people have been wise enough 
heretofore to respect the clergy in all religious questions, and to entertain a 
wholesome jealousy of them in politics. The latest politico- theological move- 
ment is to insert the name of the Deity in the Constitution." — New World 
and Old, p. 212. 

The Champlain y<??^r^<2/ expresses its opinion of the proposed religious Amend- 
ment to the Constitution, thus: "However slight, it is the entering wedge 
of chvirch and state." 

The Tulare (Cal.) Times of Oct. 20, 1882, said: "General Grant warned the 
country years ago, that there was impending such a struggle between the 
'God in the Constitution party,' on the one side, and the friends of the pres- 
ent guarantees for religious freedom on the other side, as would shake the very 
foundations of our Government.''^ 

The Boston Index says : " To-morrow the struggle will be in the arena of politics, 
and then no eye will be so blind as not to see it." 

The following is from a report of the "Committee on Postal Matters," U. S. 
Senate, relative to the right of the Government to prohibit the transportation 
of mails on Sunday, or the transaction of other business, as quoted by the 
Hon. Robert H. Crockett during his speech in behalf of religious liberty be- 
fore the Arkansas Senate (February, 1887), at the time of the recent Sunday 
oppression in that State : — 



238 B\^V.L \^^N\)\UG.S. 



" Among all religious persecutions with which almost every page of 
modern history is stained, no victim ever suffered but for violation of what 
government denominated the law of God. To prevent a similar train of evils 
in this country, the Constitution has withheld the power of defining the divine 
law. It is a right reserved to each citizen. And while he respects the rights of 
others, he cannot be held amenable to any human tribunal for his conclu- 
sions. . . . The committee can discover no principle on which the claims of 
one should be more respected than those of the other, unless it be admitted 
that the consciences of the minority are less sacred than those of the majority. 
Let the national Legislature once perform an act which involves the decision 
of a religious controversy, and it will have passed its legitimate bounds. The 
precedent will then be established, and the foundation laid, for the usurpation of 
the divine prerogative in this country which has been the desolating scourge 
to the fairest portions of the Old World. Our Constitution recognizes no other 
power than that of persuasion, for enforcing religious observances." 

14. The papacy went farther, and demanded that all manner of work 

stop on Sunday. Will the image of the papacy go so far ? 

"Let a man be what he inay, — Jew, seventh-day observer of some other denom- 
ination, or those who do not believe in the Christian Sabbath, — let the law 
apply to every one, that there shall be no public desecration of the first day of 
the week, the Christian Sabbath, the day of rest for the nation. They may 
hold any other day of the M^eek as sacred, and observe it ; but that day which 
is the one day in seven for the nation at large, let that not be publicly dese- 
crated by any one, by officer in the government, or by private citizen, high or 
low, rich or poor." — Dj'. Mc Allister, Editor Christian Statesman. 

15. Why do they want to compel all people to keep Sunday ? 

because "he who does not keep the Sabbath [Sunday] does not worship God." 
— Elgin Conve7ttion. 

16. Then what is the object of their Sunday laws ? 

To compel all men to zvorship. 

17. Whose servants will such worshipers become? 

"Know ye not, that to ivhom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye 
are to whom ye obey?" Rom. 6: 16. They will become the servants of 
men, not of God. 

18. What, in reality, are men compelled to worship by this means ? 

"And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the 
earth and thein which dwell therein to zuorship the first beast, whose deadly 
wound was healed." Rev. 13 : 12. 

19. What has been, and is to be, the work of this " first beast " ? 

" And it was given unto him to make war zvith the saints, and to overcome them." 
Verse 7. 



20. What will the two-horned beast do ? 

" And lie causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive 
a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads ; and that no man might buy 
or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of 
his name." Verses 16, 17. 

2 1. What more is the image of the beast to attempt ? 

" And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the 
beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the 
image of the beast should be killed.''^ Verse 15. 

2 2. What are the sentiments of National Reformers regarding this 
point ? 

At the Lakeside National Reform Convention of 1887, one said during the dis- 
cussion of the Sunday-law question : " There is a law in the State of Arkansas 
enforcing Sunday observance upon the people, and the result has been that 
many good persons have not only been imprisoned, but have lost their prop- 
erty and their lives." To this Dr. McAllister replied : " It is better that a 
few should suffer than that the whole nation should lose its Sabbath." 

23. Will every one yield to the demands of this power ? 

" And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire ; and iJiem that had gotten 
the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the 
number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." 
Rev. 15 : 2. 



^ATHER, whate'er of earthly bliss 
, Thy sovereign will denies. 
Accepted at thy throne of grace, 
Let this petition rise : — 

Give me a calm, a thankful heart, 

From every murmur free ; 
The blessings of thy grace impart, 

And make me live to thee. 

Let the sweet hope that thou art mine 
My life and death attend ; 

Thy presence through my journey shine, 
And crown my journey's end. 






1^^Slll^g3S:iSiP ' jiil S, 






R\CH KU^ POOR, 
10 R^OUNJ^ N 










Tbe ^'TViarl^'' of K^postasxf. 

HAT does the third angel warn against ? 

VKP' " And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any 
^J man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, 
or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God," 
Rev. 14 : 9, 10. 

. By what power is this mark enforced on those who receive it? 

" And he [the two-horned beast] causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, 
free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads." 
Rev. 13 : 16. 

. What will those keep, who do not receive the mark of the beast ? 

" Here is the patience of the saints ; here are they that keep the conimandnients of 
God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14 : 12. 
Note. — It is evident from the foregoing scriptures that the mark of the beast is 
something directly opposed to the commandments of God. In the preceding 
reading it is shown that as the first beast itself had enforced the observance of 
Sunday, the first day of the week, by the secular power, so the two-horned 
beast will, in making an image to that beast, enforce the same observance by 
the same means. 

. What day is the Sabbath ? 

" But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20 : 10. 

. What does God call the Sabbath ? 

"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my 
holy day." Isa. 58 : 13. 

. Of what day is Christ the Lord ? 

" Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath." Mark 2 : 28. 

. What do eminent men say regarding the change of the Sabbath to 
the first day ? 
[ 240 ] 



■\UL"HNR\^" OV (\?OSTf\SX. ■ 241 

Lyman Abbott, editor of the Christian Union, says in that paper of Jan. 19, 
1882: " The current notion that Christ and his apostles authoritatively sub- 
stituted the first day for the seventh, is absolutely without any authority in 
the New Testament." 

The Watchman (Baptist), in reply to a correspondent, says: "The Scriptures 
nowhere call the first day of the week the Sabbath. . . . There is no script- 
ural authority for so doing, nor, of course, any scriptural obligation." 

The Protestant Episcopal Church says : " The day is now changed from the sev- 
enth to the first day ; . . . but as we meet with no scriptural direction for 
the change, we may conclude it was done by the authority of the church." — 
Explanation of Catechism, 

Sir Wm. Domville says : " Centuries of the Christian era passed away before the 
Sunday was observed as a Sabbath. History does not furnish us with a single 
proof or indication that it was at any time so observed previous to the Sabbat- 
ical edict of Constantine, in A. D. 321." — Examination of the Six Texts, 
p. 2gi. 

The M. E. Theological Compendium, p. 103, edition of 1865, says : "It is true, 
there is no positive command for infant baptism, . , . nor is there any for 
keeping holy the first day of the week." 

A prize-essay of the American Sunday- School Union says : " Up to the time of 
Christ's death, no change had been made in the day." And " so far as the 
record shows, they [the apostles] did not give any explicit command enjoining 
the abandonment of the seventh-day Sabbath, and its observance on the first 
day of the week." — Lord'' s Day, pp. i8j, 186. 

8. What does the papacy set forth as the mark, or sign, of its authority 

in commanding men under sin ? 

"By the very act of changing the Sabbath into Sunday, which Protestants allow 
of. . . . Because by keeping Sunday they acknowledge the church's power 
to ordain feasts, and to command them under sin." — Abridgment of Chris- 
tian Doctrine, p. ^8. 
Note. — When it is generally admitted by Protestants that there is no Bible evi- 
dence for a change of Sabbath observance from the seventh to the first day of 
the week ; and when the papacy boldly admits that it alone is responsible for 
that change ("Catholic Christian Instructed," p. 203, Baltimore ed.), and 
that this change is a distinguishing mark of its authority to command men un- 
' der sin ("Doctrinal Catechism," pp. 174, 351-355), it follows as a legitimate 
conclusion that this attempted change in the law of God (Dan. 7 : 25) is noth- 
ing less than the MARK OF THE beast. 

9. What did the first beast of Revelation 13 enforce upon the people 

in the fifth century, with the aid of the civil power ? 

The Sunday institution. See Neander, vol. 2, pp. 300, 301. 

[o. What is the National Reform Association of the United States en- 
deavoring now to do ? 
To enforce the Sunday as a religious institution upon all classes. See preceding 
reading. 

16 



242 B\^V^ 't^^^\)\UGS. 



11. How are they described who submit to this imscriptural require- 

ment ? 

As being worshipers of the beast and his image. 

12. How strongly will this worship and mark be urged ? 

" That the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would 
not worship the image of the beast should be killed. And he causeth all, both, 
small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right 
hand, or in their foreheads ; and that no man might buy oi' sell, save he that 
liad the mark.''' Rev. 13 : 15-17. 

13. What warning does the Lord give against the reception of this 

mark ? 

"And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man wor- 
ship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his 
hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." Rev. 

14 : 9, 10. 

14. What is this wine of God's wrath? 

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven 'angels having 
the seven last plagues ; for in them is filled tip the wrath of God.'''' Rev. 

15 : I. 

15. How extensive will be the worship of the beast? 

" And all that dzuell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written 
in the book of life." Rev. 13 : 8. 

Note. — " Bvit in this homage to papacy the United States will not be alone. The 
influence of Rome in the countries that once acknowledged her dominion is 
still far from being destroyed. And prophecy foretells a restoration of her 
power. ' I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death ; and his deadly 
wound was healed ; and all the world wondered after the beast.' The infliction 
of the deadly wound points to the abolition of the papacy in 1798. After this, 
says the prophet, ' His deadly wound was healed ; and all the world wondered 
after the beast.' Paul states plainly that the man of sin will continue until 
the second advent. To the very close of time he will carry forward his work 
of deception. And theRevelator declares, also referring to the papacy, 'AH 
that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in 
the book of life.' In both the Old and the New World, papacy will receive 
homage in the honor paid to the Sunday institution, that rests solely upon 
the authority of the Romish Church." — Great Controversy, p. 579. 

16. Will all receive this mark ? 

" And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire ; and them that had gotten 
the victory over the beast, and over his i??iage, and over his mark, and over the 
number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." 
Rev. 15:2. 



17. The third angel's message (see reading on page 107) warns against 

the worship of the beast, and the reception of his mark. What 
follows this message ? 

" And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the 
Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp 
sickle." Rev. 14 : 14. 

18. What does He do at this time? 

" And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth ; ajid the earth was 
reaped.'''' Verse 16. 

19. What is the reaping time, or the harvest, called? 

'■'•T\\.^ harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels." Matt, 

13 : 39- 
Note. — When the mark of the beast is enforced, it will be one of the most crit- 
ical times the church of God has ever passed through. As is shown from the 
last few Scripture quotations, the Lord's coming and the end of the world 
follow close after the enforcement of the mark. The third angel's message, 
which warns men against the work of the beast and his image, becomes to the 
present generation one of the most important concerns of this life. 



^J^HALL we stand at His coming, his glorious coming, 
yB When the summer is over, and harvest is past ? 

When the sheaves of his choosing he takes for his using, 
To the glorious kingdom forever to last ? 

When the Archangel's trumpet shall rend the broad heavens. 
And the millions who slumber, immortal arise. 

Shall we stand with the holy, the meek, and the lowly, 
Who in glory triumphant mount up to the skies ? 

When the loud lamentation breaks forth from creation, 
That the day of God's wrath and his fury has come. 

Shall we join that sad chorus while death hovers o'er us ? 
Or in terror unbounded stand trembling and dumb ? 

Then the hope of possession will not be profession, 
For the lover of self will his motives behold ; 

Only they who, obeying, have toiled, striving, praying. 
Shall ascend with the saints to the city of gold. 





The " Sign " of Coiralti;. 

GAINST what does the third angel warn men ? 

Against the worship of the beast, and the reception of his mark. Rev. 
14 : 9, 10. 

How many will worship the beast ? 
Nearly the whole world. Rev. 13 : 8. 

3. What will those be doing who are not worshipers of the beast? 

" Here is the patience of the saints : here are they that keep the co77i7?iandments of 
God, and the faith of yesus.'''' Rev. 14: 12. 

4. Where are the few faithful ones finally found ? 

" And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire : and them that had gotten 
the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over 
the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the ha7'ps of God.'''' 
Rev. 15 : 2. 

5. What do they have on their foreheads ? 

" And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him a hundred 
forty and four thousand, having his Father'' s 7ia77ie %vritte7t m their foreheads.'''' 
Rev. 14 : I. 

6. Where were these 144,000 before seen ? 

'■'• Kvl^ I heard the nuTuber of them which were sealed; and there were sealed a 
hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of 
Israel." Rev. 7 : 4. 

7. With what were they sealed? 

" And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living 
God.''' Verse 2. 

8. Where were they sealed ? 

" Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the se7'va7tts 
of our God in their foreheads.''- Verse 3. 
Note. — God has a seal ; for so he says in the above quotation. A seal is a 
"mark, sign, figure, or image." "That which confirms, ratifies, or makes 
stable ; assurance ; that which authenticates." — Webster. 

[244] 



TWL "S\GH" OV V.OXI\UX. 245 

9. What does the Bible present as the object of a sign, or seal? 
" Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed.'''' 
Dan. 6 : 8. "That is, affix the signature of royalty, showing who it is that 
demands obedience, and his right to demand it." 
Note. — "A seal is used always in connection with some law or enactment that 
demands obedience." — Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, p. 448. 

10. With what is God's seal connected? 

" Bind up the testimony, seal the law among 7ny disciples.''"' Isa. 8 : 16. 

11. Does the first commandment show who is its author? 

" Thou shalt have no other gods before me.'''' Ex. 20:3. Who the "me" here 
spoken of is, the commandment does not state. That prohibition might come 
from almost any source. Any heathen could claim it as a command from his 
god, and so far as the commandment itself goes, no one could disprove his 
claim. 

12. Does the third commandment show who is the author of the law? 
" Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain ; for the Lord will not 

hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain." Verse 7. The Lord THY 
God may mean, to one nation, one being,' and to another nation another be- 
ing. The statement, of itself, is not definite enough to be generally accepted. 
The same is true of any or all of the other commandments, with one exception. 

13. Which commandment does point out unmistakably the Author of 

the law, and show his right to command ? 
" But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it thou shalt not do 
any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man-servant, nor thy maid- 
servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates ; for in six 
days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and 
rested the seventh day'; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and 
hallowed it." Verses 10, 11. 
Note. — The fourth commandment alone gives the name of the Author of the 
law in that way which shows him to be the Creator of all things ; hence his 
undisputed right to command. It is his SIGN of authority. 

14. Is the Sabbath ever called a sign? 

" Lt is a sign between me and the children of Lsrael forever ; for in six days the 
Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was re- 
freshed." Ex. 31 : 17. 

15. For what purpose is the Sabbath a sign? 

" Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, 
that they might know that L am the Lord that sanctify them." Eze. 20 : 12. 
Note. — Every time the weekly Sabbath came round, their minds would revert 
to the commandment which enjoined its observance, and the reason for it. 
As often as this occurred, they would call to mind the creative power of God. 
And as long as they should do this, they could never forget God, or become 
idolaters. Had the Sabbath been faithfully kept by all from the first, there 
could never have been an idolater, because God would have been remembered 
weekly. 



246 B\'e)VL RLN\)\HGS. 



1 6. The 144,000 who are saved when the Lord comes, have the Fa- 

ther's name in their foreheads. Rev. 14 : i. They are also said 
to have the seal of God in their foreheads. Rev. 7 : 2-4. How 
is this remnant church distinguished, while waiting for the Lord 
to appear on the white cloud ? 

" Here is the patience of the saints ; here are they that keep the command- 
ments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14 : 12. 

17. What will be the feeling toward them ? 

"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and tvent to f?iake war with the 
remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and hav^ the 
testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12 : 17. 

18. After enduring the struggle, how will they appear before God ? 

" And in their mouth was found no guile ; for they are withozit fault before the 
throne of God.'''' Rev. 14 : 5. 

19. What will be the nature of the song they sing ? 

" And they sang as it were a new j-cw^ before the throne, . . . and no man could 
learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were re- 
deemed from the earth." Verse 3. 



20. 



Over what had these gotten the victory ? 

'- And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire ; and them that had gotten 
the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over 
the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. 
And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the 
Lamb, saying. Great and marvelous are thy works. Lord God Almighty ; just 
and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." Rev. 15 : 2, 3. 

Note. — " Nothing is seen more plainly than the fact that the happy souls, 
which are here spoken of, have believed and obeyed the third angel's mes- 
sage ; for it is stated in so many words, that they have gotten the victory 
over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark. This is the great 
cause why they praise God after his judgments have been made manifest in 
the earth. Is it possible to imagine that an army on earth would march into 
a city with song and music, singing of a glorious victory which they had 
gained, and then, if any one should ask where the battle was and who their 
enemies were, they would answer, that they knew nothing about it ? — No, 
far from it. Man has never been so foolish. But how much less can we 
imagine that any such thing ever could happen in heaven ! Let us, for a mo- 
ment, conceive that we see these happy souls before the throne of God, and 
hear their charming music and their songs of victory. We step forward and 
inquire of one what beast it is over which they have gained such a glorious 
victory. He turns and answers, ' I do not know. I have never examined that 
matter, and can give you no information about it.' How astonished we 
should be ! 



"Again the heavenly courts are filled with the glorious songs of salvation, 
the music sounds to the praise of God, and every soul is filled with heavenly 
joy. There is a short pause, and we ask another what image they have 
warred against and gained the victory over. He replies : ' Sir, I do not un- 
derstand what you mean. I know that once I was a child of God, and that 
is sufficient. I want nothing more, and what more could I have ? I have 
never troubled myself to look into those secret things which pertain only to 
God.' If it were possible that we could receive such an answer, would we 
not marvel greatly, that mortal beings endowed wdth reason could sing in 
heaven before the throne of God, of some things which they did not under- 
stand and never had heard anything about ? 

"Once more the heavenly arches are filled with song and music. The 
redeemed sing that they have gained a glorious victory over the mark of the 
beast, and over the number of his name. They praise God because his right- 
eous judgments have been poured out upon those who would not heed the 
warning message of God in the last days, but who worshiped the beast and 
his image, and received his mark. Every face is lighted up with heavenly 
joy. Peace and love radiate from every eye. They take off their crowns, 
and worship humbly before the throne of God. Once more we endeavor to 
get some information concerning this wonderful song of victory, and we ask 
one of the happy singers who seems to look more noble than the rest, if 
he can tell us what the mark of the beast was, over which they have gained 
the victory. Let us suppose that he answers in a similar way, ' My dear 
friend, I do not know what you are talking about. You are, no doubt, one 
of those foolish Adventists, who attempted to read and explain the prophecies, 
and thought to obtain light from God through them. We have never been so 
foolish. Our pastors never treated on such subjects, because they do not be- 
long to salvation at all. Sects and heretics deal with such things. We have 
been saved, because we belonged to the true church, and once, without our 
own choice or consciousness, we were born again, through the proper ceremo- 
nies of a regularly ordained pastor, who was properly called and paid by the 
State. Thus we became members of the true orthodox church, and after that 
time to the day of our death our spiritual life was nourished by the Lord's 
supper.' Such scenes could not be enacted on earth, much less in heaven. 
Away with a religious system which sets aside the word of God, and exalts 
men instead of God and his living word." — Jesu' Profetier (Pj-ophecies of 
Jesus), by J. G. Matteson, pp. 280-282. 






HAT was the first beast of Revelation 13 ? 

A religious power that used the state for the furtherance of its designs. 
See reading on " The First Symbol of Revelation 13," p. 231. 

What is predicted of the two-horned beast (the United States) ? 

That he should make an image to the first beast. Rev. 13 : 14. 

3. Then what may we look for in the United States ? 

For the religious power to employ the civil arm of the state in carrying out its 
designs. 

4. Is there at present any indication of such an effort ? 
A large and influential organization is now working to this end. 

5. Under what name does it operate ? 
The National Reform Association. 

6. When and where was it inaugurated ? 

In 1863, at Xenia, Ohio, under the name of "A Christian Council." It took its 
present name in 1876, at a convention held in Philadelphia, and is now an in- 
corporated association. 

7. What is the object of this association? 

"To secure such an amendment to the Constitution of the United States as shall 
. . . indicate that this is a Christian nation, and place all Christian laws, in- 
stitutions, and usages of the government on an undeniable legal basis in the 
fundamental law of the land." 

8. Of what does the organization consist? 

A president, about 200 vice-presidents, a recording secretary, a corresponding 
secretary, a treasurer, seven district secretaries (at present), and the Reformed 
Presbyterian Church as a body. 

9. Who are some of the prominent men actively engaged in favor 

of it? 

[248] 



IVAL U^^\OH^\_ RLVO?.^ \j\o\jl^lu^. 249 

Joseph Cook ; Herrick Johnson, D. D. ; Julius H. Seelye, President of Amherst 
College ; Bishop Huntington, of New York ; Hon. Wm. Strong, ex- Justice of 
the United States Supreme Court, and many others. 

10. Of what important bodies has it gained the support ? 

The principal churches, the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, and the Pro- 
hibition Party in some of the States. 

11. To secure the support of what other bodies is it diligently work- 

ing? 
The Working-Men's Association and the Roman Catholic Church. 

12. If the influence of all these bodies should be combined in favor 

of any one measure, it is not unreasonable to suppose that it 
will succeed. Is there any question upon which they are all 
united, and which all desire to see carried out ? 
Yes ; the enforcement of Sunday-keeping by the secular power of the state. 

13. In what way is this expressed? 

" We need a Sabbath [Sunday] law that will bind the government and the cor- 
poration, as well as the individual." — AT. A. Gault, in Christian Statesman 
of Sept. 2j, 1884. 

14. What do others say about this ? 

"We warn them [opposers of the. measure] further, that in the contest for the Sab- 
bath [Sunday] it may so fall out that Roman Catholicism in America and 
Protestantism will be found side by side ; for neither of these will consent to 
be marshaled by German atheists." — Northivestern Christian Advocate of 
Chicago, III., December, 186'/. 

15. How far do they expect to push these measures ? 

"You look for trouble in this land in the future, if these principles are applied. 
I think it will come to you, if you maintain your present position. The fool- 
hardy fellow who persists in standing on a railroad track, may well anticipate 
trouble when he hears the rumbling of the coming train. If he shall read the 
signs of the times in the screaming whistle and flaming head-light, he may 
change his position and avoid the danger ; but if he will not be influenced by 
these, his most gloomy forebodings of trouble will be realized when the ex- 
press strikes him. So you, neighbor, if, through prejudice or the enmity of 
unregenerate hearts, you have determined to oppose the progress of this na- 
tion in fulfilling its vocation as an instrument in the divine work of regenerat- 
ing human society, may rightly expect trouble. It will surely come to you." 
— I^ev. W. T. Mc Connel, a representative National Reformer, in '■'■Open 
Letter^'' to the editors of the Ajfierican Sentinel, published in Christian Nation, 
Dec. 14, 1887. 

16. Has not the state a right to enforce Sunday-keeping as a civil duty ? 

No ; because Sunday is wholly a religious institution, and the civil power has 
nothing to do with religious duties. 



250 ^V\L U^^\OU^^ HLVO^VI\ ^O^LVJ\LH"\. 

17. By what power was Sunday-keeping instituted? 
By the church. 

18. Why were the ancient Sunday laws enacted ? 
Becavise the church demanded it. See Neander, vol. 2, p. 300. 

19. Why are they now to be enacted ? 
Simply to satisfy the demands of the church. 

20. What does Christ say about our duty to the state ? 

" Render therefore unto Csesar the things which are Caesar's ; and unto God the 
things that are God's." Matt. 22 : 21. The church is not Csesar, neither is it 
God. Therefore it has no earthly right to make one render to it the Sunday. 
The Sabbath was made by God. ^e should observe that, in order to carry 
out the Saviour's injunction. 

2 1. Sunday-keeping originated with the Roman power (the beast), and 
the papists claim it as the distinctive mark of their power. If 
the National Reformers succeed in securing a law which shall 
oblige all to keep that day, then to whom do they yield homage, 
and consequently worship ? 

" Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye 
are to whom ye obey ? " Rom. 6 : 16. 
The keeping of Sunday is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the 
Catholic Church." — Plain Talk about Protestatttisjii. 

2 2. Will all submit to this ? 

" x\nd I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire ; and them that had gotten 
the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the 
number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." 
Rev. 15 : 2. 

23. What song do they sing? 

" And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and tJie song of the Zcz;«/y." 
Verse 3. 

24. What was the song of Moses ? 

A song of deliverance from oppression. Exodus 15, 





T'be geiJen J^ast plagues. 

t~^\ HAT is it said those shall have who worship the beast and 
gj r his image and receive his mark? 

%^Y^ "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in 
^ his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wi7ie of the wrath 
\ of God, ivhich is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indigna- 
tion." Rev. 14 -.9, 10. 

2. What is the wrath of God? 

"And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the 
seven last plagues ; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.^^ "And one 
of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the 
wrath of God, who liveth forever and ever." Rev. 15 : i, 7. 

;. Will there be any service in the heavenly temple while these 
plagues are being poured out ? 

" And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his 
power ; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of 
the seven angels were fulfilled." Verse 8. 
Note. — This shows that during the pouring out of these plagues, there will be 
no intercession for sinners in the temple above ; hence the time of salvation 
will then be passed. This is the reason why it is said by the third angel that 
those who receive the mark of the beast will have visited on them the wrath 
of God " without mixture ; " that is, without any mixture of mercy. It also 
presents the fact that the message of the third angel is to be the last special 
one before the close of probation. 

[251] 



252 ^\^^^ R^N\)\HGS, 



4. Will probation have been closed for a period when Christ comes? 

^'- He that is unjust, let him be unjust still ; and he which is filthy, let him be 
filthy still ; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still ; and he that is^ 
holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I co7ne quickly.'''' Rev. 22 : 11, 12. 
Note. — If all, both good and bad, remain as they are from a certain time, and 
the coming of Christ is still distant a short time called "quickly," it follows 
that before he comes, there will be a space in which no one's condition can be 
changed for the better, no matter how earnestly he may desire it. As it was 
in the days before the flood, so it will be in this case. God did not suffer the 
door of the ark to remain open till the day of the flood actually came ; for 
then thousands would have flocked into it, to be saved, who had derided 
Noah's message. Noah was shut into the ark some days before the flood 
came, even while the sky was clear. The act of shutting him and his com- 
panions in, shut all others out, and they could not afterward change their sit- 
uation. So it will be in the future : probation will close even before the 
plagues of God begin to fall. 

5. What will be the first plague, and on whom will it fall ? 

"And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a 
noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and 
upon them which worshiped his image." Rev. 16 : 2. 

6. How many will worship the beast ? 

"And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not 
written in the book of life." Rev. 13:8. Then the first plague will be 
nearly universal. 

7. What will constitute the second plague? 

"And the second angel poured out his vial upon the sea, and it became as the 
blood of a dead man ; and every living soul died in the sea." Rev. 16 : 3. 

8. What will be the third plague ? 

" And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters ; 
and they became blood." Verse 4. 

9. Why will the Lord give them blood to drink ? 

" For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them 
blood to drink ; for they are worthy." Verse 6. That is, those who have 
opposed the commandments of God, and In trying to drive the saints to wor- 
ship the beast and his image and receive his mark, have caused their death, 
either actually or intentionally, will be given blood to drink. 

:o. What will the fourth plague bring? 

" And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun ; and power was given 
unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat." 
Verses 8, 9. 

[I. What will be the effect of the fifth ? 

"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast ; and his king- 
dom was full of darkness ; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.'* 
Verse 10. 



12. What promise applies at this time to those who have loved the 

truth ? 

" A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it 
shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see 
the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my 
refuge, even the Most High, thy habitation ; there shall no evil befall thee, 
neitJier shall any plague come nigh thy dzuelling.''^ Ps, 91 : 7-10. 

13. What takes place under the sixth plague? 

" And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates ; and the 
water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the East might be 
prepared." Rev. 16 : 12. 

Note. — It is not likely that this has reference to the literal river, for that never 
was a hinderance to the armies of the East. A thousand years before Christ, 
the kings of Assyria, in their campaigns, crossed it regularly every spring — 
the very time when its waters were highest. That this refers to the power 
ruling in the country of the Euphrates, and not to the literal river, is strength- 
ened by the fact that Isaiah, in speaking of the king of Assyria and his 
armies, plainly calls them "The waters of the river." "Now therefore, be- 
hold, the Lord bringeth upon them [the people of Judah] the waters of the 
river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory ; and he 
shall come up over all his channels, and go over all his banks." Isa. 8 : 7. 

14. When the seventh angel pours out his vial, what is heard? 

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air ; and there came a great 
voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." 
Rev. 16 : 17. 

15. Whose is this voice? 

" The Lord shall roar from oti high, and utter his voice fro7?i his holy habitation ; 
he shall mightily roar upon his habitation ; he shall give a shout, as they that 
tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth." Jer. 25 130. 

16. What then takes place? 

"And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great 
earthquake such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an 
earthquake, and so great." Rev. 16 : 18 ; Haggai 2:21; Heb. 12 : 26. 

17. What accompanies the earthquake? 

" And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight 
of a talent : and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail ; for 
the plague thereof was exceeding great." Rev. 16 : 21. 

j8. What will the people of God do in this time? 

"The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem ; and 
the heavens and the earth shall shake ; but the Lord will be the hope of his 
people, and the strength of the children of Israel.'''' Joel 3 : 16. 



254: ■\V\L SLMLU ^NSl PLNG^V^LS. 

19. To prepare the people for this terrible time, what will the Lord 

send beforehand ? 
The third angel's message. 

20. At the expiration of this message, what will take place? 
The close of probation, and the seven last plagues. 

21. What will then come upon those who have rejected that message? 

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that / wi/i send a famine in the 
land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for luater, but of hearing the words 
of the Lord • and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the nor':h even 
to the east, they snaa run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall 
not find it." Amos 8 : ii, 12. 

2 2. When the people shall thus cry for the bread of life, what will the 
Lord say to them ? 

" Because I have called, and ye refused ; I have stretched out my hand, and no 
man regarded ; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of 
my reproof : I also will laugh at your calamity ; I zvill mock 7vhen your fear 
Cometh.'''' Prov. 1:24-26. 

23. How does the Saviour represent the condition of such ? 

"When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shtit to the door, and ye 
begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying. Lord, Lord, open 
unto us ; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye 
are." Luke 13 : 25, 

24. Is not the third angel's message, then, an important one for this 

generation ? 




2. How does Christ himself speak of his relation to the Father ? 

" I and my Father are one." John lo : 30. 

3. How does he show what he means by being '' one with the Father " ? 

" And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to 
thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast 
given me, that they may be one, as zve are.'''' John 17:11, 12. One in pur- 
pose, spirit, work, etc. ; and the church is expected to be the same. 

4. Did Christ exist before he was manifested in the flesh ? 

"And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I 
had with thee before the world was.'''' Verse 5. 

5. How came he in the world as the Saviour? 

"And the angel said unto them, Fear not ; for, behold, I bring you good tidings 
of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in 
the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord." Luke 2 : 10, 1 1. 

6. By what agency was he conceived ? 

" And the angel answered and said unto her. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, 
and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee : therefore also that holy 
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. " Luke 1:35. 

7. How was he manifested on the earth? 

"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, 
the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth." 
John I : 14. 

[255] 




[256] 



"THE WORD WAS MADE FLESH. 



8. Why was he thus made known ? 

"Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that 
he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, 
to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.'''' Heb. 2:17. 

9. How was he recognized by the Father while here ? 

" And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well 
pleased." Matt. 3 : 17. 

10. How was the divinity of the Son of God shown? 

(I.) In his creative power. Col. i : 13-16 ; John i : 1-3. 

(2.) By his power to perform miracles. John 1 1 : 43, 44. 

(3.) By his being able to lay down his life and take it up again. John 10 : 17. 

(4.) By his being recognized as God. Heb. i : 7, 8 ; Isa. 9:6. 

(5.) By what he endured for a race of rebels. Isa. 53 : 10-12. 

11. How does Paul speak of Christ's relation to the Father ? 

"Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery [Greek, a thing to be 
grasped, margin of Revised Version] to be equal with God," Phil. 2 : 6. 

12. What is our privilege in view of what this precious Saviour has 

done ? 

" For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our 
infirmities ; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let 
us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, 
and find grace to help in time of need." Heb, 4:15, 16. 



I EFORE the heavens were spread abroad, 

From everlasting was the Word ; 
With God he was, the Word was God ! 
And must divinely be adored. 

Ere sin was born, or Satan fell. 

He led the host of morning stars ; 
His generation who can tell, 

Or count the number of his years ? 

But lo ! he leaves those heavenly forms ; 

The Word descends and dwells in clay, 
That he may converse hold with worms, 

Dressed in such feeble flesh as they. 

The angels leave their high abode, 
To learn new mysteries here, and tell 

The love of our descending God, 
The glories of Immanuel. 

\SM\C \Nk\TS. 

17 



.^^mikMi/fM 




W' 



^be Co^e of 6od, 



HAT does the apostle ask all to do ? 



Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we 
should be called the sons of God," i John 3:1. There are, then, different 
manners of love, Man has one kind, which esteems others as long as they 
favor him, or are friendly toward him, and no longer, God's is of another 
kind. When man turned away from God to serve his greatest enemy, the 
Lord did not desert him.. He gave him an opportunity to repent, and left 
him comforting words of instruction, that he might still hope in the Lord. 
Rom, 15 :4, He also gave his Holy Spirit to assist man in living out that 
word, in approaching to God. Rom. 8 : 26. Next he gave all the holy angels 
to minister to the wants of those who should be in trial through serving God. 
Heb. I : 14. Only one other gift remained that God could bestow upon fallen 
man — his only begotten Son. 

[258] 



1V\L \_0\1L OV GO\i. 259 



2. How much does God love the worM ? 

" For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever be- 
heveth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3 : i6. 

3. Did God wait for man to return to him before sending his Son to 

die? 

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while %ve were yet sinners, 
Christ died for us.'''' Rom. 5 : 8. 

4. What did the Lord Jesus himself do that we might have eternal 

riches ? 

** For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet 
for your sakes he becanie poor, that ye through his. poverty might be rich." 
2 Cor. 8:9. 

5. How rich was the Son of God ? 

" Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir 
of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Heb. 1:2; John 17 : 5. 

6. How poor was he when born ? 

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in S7vaddling clothes, 
and laid him in a manger ; because there was no room for them in the inn." 
Luke 2 : 7. 

7. Was he any better provided for when he had grown to man's es- 

tate ? 
"And Jesus saith unto him. The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have 
nests ; but the Son of ma^i hath not where to lay his head.''\ Matt. 8 : 20. 

8. What trials did he pass through on man's behalf? 

"For we have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our 
infirmities: but ivas in all points tempted like as zve are, yet without sin." 
Heb. 4 : 15- 

9. What did he do to show his sympathy for those in affliction ? 

" And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils/ ' 
Mark l : 34. 

10. How was he received by those whom he came to save ? 

" He came unto his own, and his own received him not." John I : 11. 

11. After choosing some disciples toward whom he felt much tender- 

ness, what did one of them do in return for his love ? 

" And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with 
him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the 
scribes and the elders. And he that betrayed him had given them a token, 
saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he ; take him, and lead him 
away safely. And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightzvay to him, and 
saith. Master, Master; and kissed him. And they laid their hands on him, 
and took him." Mark 14 : 43-46. 



^V\L \.0\1L OV 00\). 261 

12. Why did Judas thus betray his Master? 

"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and 
said unto them, Whai will ye give me, and I will deliver him tint o you ? And 
they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.''^ Matt. 26 : 14, 15. 

13. What was first done with the Saviour after his betrayal? 

He was taken to the high priest's house (Mark 14 : 53), where he was buffeted 
and spit upon (verse 65). He was next taken before Pilate (Mark 15:1), where 
he was mocked by the soldiers (verses 17-19), until finally they led him to the 
place of crucifixion. Here he was nailed to the cross, and amid the taunts and 
insults of his persecutors, he was lifted up on the cross of Calvary, to die for 
the world. God's love was shown toward the world, in that he did not with- 
draw his Son from the earth when he was so maltreated, and thus leave man 
to perish. But he SO loved the world that he would suffer these terrible indig- 
nities to be heaped on his dear Son, if by this means he could but save fallen 
man. 

14. What did the Saviour say the repentance of one sinner causes in 

heaven ? 

"Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over 
one sinner that repenteth." Luke 15 : 10. 

15. After the prodigal son had wasted all his inheritance in a far 

country, and began to realize his wretched condition, what did 
he say ? 

" I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned 
against Heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son : 
make me as one of thy hired servants." Verses 18, 19. 

16. On his return, how did his father meet him ? 

"And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his 
father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed 
him." Verse 20. 

17. What preparations were then made to give the prodigal a general 

welcome ? 

" The father said to his servants. Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him ; 
and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet ; and bring hither the fatted 
calf, and kill it ; and let us eat and be merry ; for this my son was dead, and is 
alive again ; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry." Verses 
22-24. 
Note. — This narrative was designed to show the compassion and love God has 
for the sinner. Truly, God is love. Can we not love such a Being enough to 
sacrifice some of the conveniences of this life in order to serve him ? Surely, 
the love of God should lead all to repentance. 




Just as I am, without one plea. 
But that thy blood was shed for me, 
And that thou bid'st me come to 
thee, 
O Lamb of God, I come, I come. 




GonY)ersion. 



5- 



HAT is necessary to salvation ? 

"And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become 
as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." 
Matt. i8 : 3. 

Is it the moral or the physical nature that is changed by con- 
version ? 

For to be carnally minded is death ; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the law 
of God, neither indeed can be." Rom. 8 : 6, 7. 

What two steps are necessary to make this change ? 

I have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the Jews 
and also to the Greeks, repetitance toward God, diwA faith tozvard our Lord jfe- 
sus C/irist." Acts 20 : 20, 21. 

Of what is it necessary to repent? 

Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.''^ Acts 

3: 19- 
What is sin ? 

Whosoever committeth sin, transgresseth also the law ; for sin is the transgression 
of the law." I John 3 : 4. 

What law does one transgress when he sins ? 
[262] 



COU\ILRS\OU. 263 



" But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as 
transgressors." "For he that said [margin, that law which said], Do not 
commit adultery, said also. Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet 
if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the lazv.'''' James 2:9, 11. 

7. What part does the law act in repentance ? 

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight ; 
for by the lazv is the knowledge of sin.'''' Rom. 3 : 20. 

8. When Paul was converted, what first brought conviction to him ? 

"I had not known sin, but by the law ; for I had not known lust, except the law 
had said, Thou shalt not covet." Rom. 7 : 7. 

9. What more than conviction is necessary to true repentance ? 

" For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of ; but the 
sorrow of the world worketh death." 2 Cor. 7 : 10. 

10. What does true repentance involve ? 

'■'■Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions ; so iniquity shall not 
be your ruin. Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have 
transgressed ; and make you a new heart and a new spirit." Eze. 18 : 
30, 31. 

11. What does repentance further require ? 

" Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. Let 
the ivicked forsake his zvay, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him 
return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him." Isa. 55 : 6, 7. 

12. How will genuine repentance be shown ? 

" Bring forth therefore fruits tneet for repentance [margin, answerable to amend- 
ment of life].'' Matt. 3:8. 

13. What besides repentance is required in conversion? 

"Repentance toward God, Sind faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.''' Acts 
20 : 21. 

14. Who is Christ, that one should believe in him ? 

" For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3 : 16. 

15. What has Christ done for us that we should be saved through 

him ? 

"Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." I Cor. 15 : 3. 

16. In order for one to be cleansed from sin, what is required of 

him ? 
" But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with 
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If 
we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 
Lf we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John I : 7-9. 



264 OOU\I^RS\OH. 



17. What should be one's relation to sin after repentance? 

" What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? 
God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" 
Rom, 6:1,2. 

18. How does one become dead to sin ? 

" Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might 
be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Verse 6. 

19. What is done with the " old man " after he dies ? 

"Therefore we are buried with hi?}i by baptism into death ; that like as Christ was 
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should 
walk in 7iewness of life.'''' Verse 4. 

20. When truly converted, what does every one receive ? 

" Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the re- 
mission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.'''' Acts 2 : 38. 
■ Therefore every real conversion is a miracle of divine grace. 

21. Can any one be a Christian without having the Spirit of Christ? 
"Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Rom. 8 19. 

22. What precious relation is sustained when one has the Holy Spirit ? 

" For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, tliey are the sons of God.'''' Rom. 
8: 14. 

23. Can it be known when this relation exists ? 

" The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of 
God." Verse 16. 

24. When one thus stands complete in Christ, what is he ? 
"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature ; old things are passed 

away ; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5 : 17. 

25. Of what character are the '^old things " which are to be put off? 

"But now ye also put off all these : anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy com- 
munication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have 
put off the old man with his deeds. ''^ Col. 3 : 8, 9. ^ 

26. What will the new man acquire ? 

" Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kind- 
ness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering : forbearing one another,, 
and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any : even as 
Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, 
which is the bond of perfectness." Col. 3 : 12-14. 

27. Where will the affections then be found ? 

" If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things M'hich are above, where Christ 
sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on 
things on the earth." Verses I, 2. 

28. Having done all this, what will be the final result ? 

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, luho is 
our life, shall appear, then shall ye also APPEAR WITH HIM IN GLORY." 
Verses 3, 4. 



I^aptism. 




HAT commission did Christ give to his disciples ? 

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing thevi in the name of 
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Matt. 28 : 19. 

1]^^^' 2. Before one is baptized, what is it necessary for him to do ? 

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized, every one of you." 
Acts 2 : 38. 

3. Toward whom must men repent ? 

" Testifying both to the Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance towa^'d God, and 
faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20 : 21. 

4. Why should one repent toward God ? 

" For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." Rom. 3 : 23. 

5. What does the law first do to the sinner who wishes conversion ? 

" For I was alive without the law once ; but when the commandment came, sin re- 
vived, and I died.'''' Rom. 7 : 9. 

6. Why is it necessary for one to die in the sense here represented ? 

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might 
be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Rom. 6 : 6. 

7. If one thus dies, how is he to live again ? 

" Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him." 
Verse 8. 

8. If one is deadyNxih Christ, what should be done with him ? 

"Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death ; that like as Christ was 
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should 
walk in newness of life." Verse 4. 
Note. — " This passage cannot be understood unless it be borne in mind that the 
primitive baptism was by immersion." — Conybeare and Howson's Life of 
Paul, on Rom. 6 .'4, p. S^J-) people'' s edition. 

[265] 



266 B\BV.L RLN\)\UGkS. 



9. How is one to be buried in baptism ? 
" For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be 
also in the likeness of his resurrection." Verse 5. 

10. For what purpose is one baptized ? 

" Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith 
of the operation of God, who hath raised hi77i from the dead.''"' Col. 2 : 12. 
Note. — The principal object of the ordinance of baptism, then, is to show the 
faith of the recipient in the operation of God in raising Christ from the dead. 
After repenting of his transgressions of God's law, one must have faith in the 
power of Christ to save. In other words, he must believe that although 
Christ died for sin, he was again made alive, to plead in the sinner's behalf. 
Then the ordinance of baptism is received to show to others that the candidate 
really believes in what is claimed to be necessary — the burial and resurrec- 
tion of Christ. The ordinance also shows one's faith in the resurrection of 
all the dead, based on the resurrection of Christ. 

11. When baptized into Christ, what does one put on ? 

" For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.'''' 
Gal. 3 : 27. That is, they have acknowledged him in a public way. One 
may have espoused Christ before his baptism ; but the act of baptism is the 
public ceremony which witnesses to all that the candidate has put on Christ. 
After that he will be regarded in a different light than before. He will have 
all the privileges of the Lord's house, by virtue of his public action, because 
his act has shown his faith, and his union with Christ. 

12. After Philip had preached ''Jesus" to the eunuch, what question 

did he ask Philip ? 
" And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water ; and the eunuch 
said. See, here is water ; tuhat doth hinder me to be baptized f'' Acts 8 : 36. 

13. What reply did Philip make? t 

"And Philip said. If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.'''' Verse 37. 

14. In administering the ordinance, where did Philip take the can- 

didate ? 
"And they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he 
baptized him." Verse 38. 
Notes. — This is a clear case of immersion. Had it been anything else, it would 
not have been necessary for Philip and the eunuch both to go down " into the 
water." If modern sprinkling were the mode adopted there, Philip, at least, 
would probably have stayed out of the water. 

" It is needless to add that baptism was (unless in exceptional cases) ad- 
ministered by immersion, the convert being plunged beneath the surface of 
the water to represent his death to the life of sin, and then raised from this 
momentary burial to represent his resurrection to the life of righteousness. 
It must be a subject of regret that the general discontinuance of this original 
form of baptism (though perhaps necessary in our northern climates) has ren- 
dered obscure to popular apprehension some very important passages of 
Scripture." — Conybeare and Howson's Life of Paul, pp. 401, 402, people' s 
edition. 



BK?T\SVI\- 267 



15. How many modes of baptism are recognized in the Bible ? 
" One Lord, one faith, one baptism.'''' Eph. 4:5. 

16. How many were added to the church on the day of pentecost ? 

" Then they that gladly received his word were baptized ; and the same day there 
were added unto them about three thousand souls.'''' Acts 2 •.\1. 

17. How many disciples were together on that occasion to engage in 

the work ? 

" And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said (the 
number of 7iames together zuere about a hundred and tzventy) .'''' Acts I : 15. 
Note. — Should the query arise, how so many as three thousand could be im- 
mersed in one day, it may be met by the fact that so large a number were 
present to administer the ordinance. Had only one half of those present 
(sixty) engaged in the work of baptizing, each would have been obliged to im- 
merse but fifty persons to make up the number, which would have occupied 
only about an hour's time. 

18. After repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus 

Christ, how long should one wait before being baptized ? 

'■'■ And now why tarriest thou ? Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, 
calling on the name of the Lord." Acts 22 : 16. 

19. What is necessary before baptism ? 

^'' He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall 
be damned." Mark 16 : 16. Then one must be able to believe before he 
can be a subject for baptism. This would exclude infants. 

20. After the release of Paul and Silas from jail, how many of the 

jailer's family submitted to baptism ? 

" And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and zvas 
baptized, he and all his, straightway.''^ Acts 16 : 33. 

21. To how many of them had Paul and Silas preached? 

"And they spake unto him the word of the I>ord, and to all that %vere in his 
house.'''' Verse 32. 

22. How many of them believed the truth that was preached ? 

" And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and re- 
joiced, believing in God zuith all his house.'''' Verse 34. There were, then, 
none in the jailer's household too young to have the gospel preached to them, 
and to believe the message of truth prior to their baptism. 

23. After baptism, what should one do ? 

"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ 
sitteth on the right hand of God." Col. 3:1. 
Note. — The sinner has broken God^s law. He is led to repentance by the in- 
fluence of the Holy Spirit. The blood of Jesus Christ saves him from sin. 
In his baptism he shows faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ as 
a substitute for the sinner. But GoD raised up Christ by his Holy Spirit. 
Rom. 8 : II ; i Cor. 15 : 15. Because of the connection of these three names 
in the work of converting the sinner, and in the resurrection of Christ from 
the dead, the names of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are used in the 
formula of baptism. 




[268] 



THE DEPARTURE FROM EDEN. 



TVloi^al Obligation in the Pati^iai^ebal "^^e, 

<%j^OW long has the Devil sinned ? 

(|^'y^ "He that committeth sin is of the Devil; for f/ie Devil sinneth from the 
'<Ly'^^~^ beginning.''^ I John 3:8. 

2. What others sinned with him? 



God spared not the angels that siftned, but cast them down to hell, 
them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment." 



and delivered 
2 Peter 2 : 4. 



3. Can there be sin where there is no law ? 

"Because the law worketh wrath ; for where no law is, there is ?io transgression.''^ 
Rom. 4:15. There can be only one way to determine whether or not one 
has done wrong, and that is by some revealed rule of duty. Had Satan and 
the angels violated no law, there could have been no wrath manifested toward 
them, from the fact that they would have remained in harmony with God's 
revealed will. Sin is the same in all ages. What is wrong now, was wrong 
then, and vice versa. It would be as wrong in the eternal ages to come, to 
go contrary to the revealed word of God, as it is now. 

4. By what does one gain a knowledge of sin ? 

^^ I had not ktiown sin, hut by the law ; for I had not known lust, except the law 

7 = 7- 



had said, Thou shalt not covet. 



Rom. 



5. What brought death into the world ? 

"Wherefore, as by- one man sin etitered into the world, and death by sin ; and so 
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5 : 12. If it is 
the law that works wrath, and that was visited upon man from the first because 
of the course of Adam,. it certainly follows that the law was present to enforce 
the penalty. 

6. Did death reign all the time between Adam and Moses ? 

' '• For until the law, sin was in the world ; but sin is not imputed when there is no 
law. Nevertheless death reigfied from Adam to Moses.'''' Rom. 5 : 13, 14. 
That is to say, until the law was spoken on Sinai, sin was in the world. Then 
to enforce his point, the apostle says : " Sin is not imputed when there is no 
law." But was sin imputed back there ? He has said in the previous verse 
that death came in consequence of sin. Then sin was set to the account of 
those people, which proves the existence of the law at that time. 

[269] 



2Y0 ^\^\.^ R^N\^\HGS. 



7. How was the first death brought about? 

" And Cain talked with Abel his brother ; and it came to pass, when they were in 
the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.'''' Gen. 
4:8. 

8. What was the difference between the characters of the two men ? 

" Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore 
slew he him ? Because his oivn works zvere evil, and his brother^ s righteous.'''' 
I John 3 : 12. There must have been a standard by which the characters of 
the two men were weighed. That standard must have defined the difference 
between right and wrong, and pointed out man's duty ; otherwise it could not 
be known when one passed from right to wrong, or vice versa. 

9. Did the Lord impute sin to Cain for taking the life of his brother? 

" And he said. What hast thou done ? the voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto 
me from the ground. And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath 
opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand." Gen. 
4 : 10, II. 

10. In what condition was mankind before the flood ? 

"The earth also zuas corrupt before God ; and the earth was filled with violence.'''' 
Gen. 6 : II. 

11. What did God purpose to do with the people of that day ? 

" And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me ; for the earth 
is filled with violence through them ; and, behold, / will destroy them with 
the earth.'''' Verse 13. Paul says (Rom. 4 : 15) that it is the laiu that works 
wrath. Had there been no moral law before the flood to define what was 
right and wrong, how would God have been justified in visiting wrath upon 
those antediluvians ? 

12. What was Noah called? 

"And spared not the old world, but saved Noah, the eighth person, a preacher of 
righteousness.'''' 2 Peter 2 : 5. There was, then, some standard^jf righteous- 
ness in that age. 

13. Why did the Lord destroy Sodom ? 

"For we will destroy this place, because the cry of them is zuaxeii great before the 
face of the Lord.'''' Gen. 19: 13. 

14. By what standard were their deeds weighed? 

" And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked ; for that 
righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed Jiis right- 
eous soxAfrom day to day with their unlawful deeds.'''' 2 Peter 2 : 7, 8. 
Note. — How was it known that their deeds were unlawful, if no law then 
existed? Unlawful rats.\\s " contrary to law," or "not permitted by law." 

15. What did Joseph say when he Avas tempted on a certain point? 

'^How, then, can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God ?'''' Gen. 39 : 9. 
The act would not be a sin merely against his master, Potiphar, but against 
God, showing that God had spoken on the subject of adultery, even then. 



1 6. What did God tell Abraham concerning the Amorites ? 

"But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again ; for the iniquity of the 
Amorites is not yet /till.'''' Gen. 15 : 16. 

17. Of what sin were they specially guilty? 

" And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the 
Amorites, whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israel." i Kings 
21 : 26. * 

18. Why did the Lord abhor the nations that occupied Canaan before 

Israel ? 

" Ye shall therefore keep all my statutes, and all my judgments and do them : that 
the lajid, whither I bring you to dwell therein, spue you not out. And ye 
shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you ; for 
they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.'''' Lev. 20 : 
22, 23. 
Note. — The clause, " they committed all these things," refers to what had been 
previously forbidden to the Israelites. Among them was adultery (Lev. 
20 : 10) ; dishonoring parents (verse 9) ; breaking the Sabbath (19 : 30) ; pro- 
faning the name of God (verse 12) ; lying, stealing, etc. (verse ii). This 
plainly shows that even Gentiles were held amenable to the law, and were ab- 
horred of God for violating it. 

19. Why did God make his promise to the seed of Abraham? 

'■'■~^&C2,vcs>& \\i'3X K}ox2^2S)^ obeyed my voice, and kept viy charge, my cojumandments, 
my statutes, and my laws." Gen. 26 : 5, 

20. What ought the children of Abraham to do ? 

" Jesus saith iTnto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works 
of Abraham.^'' John 8 : 39. 

21. Who are the children of Abraham? 

"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the 
promise." Gal. 3 : 29. 



^^^^<« 



'OW blest the children of the Lord, 
' Who, walking in his sight, 
Make all the precepts of his word 
Their study and delight ! 

That precious wealth shall be their dower, 

Which cannot know decay ; 
Which moth and rust shall ne'er devour, 

Or spoiler take away. 





CciiA? and Gospel. 

F what did Paul say he was not ashamed ? 

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ ; for it is the power 
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth." Rom. I : l6. 

What good tidings did the angels announce to the 
shepherds ? 

"Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people ; for 
unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the 
Lord.'' Luke 2 : lo, ll. 

. What did Simeon say after seeing the Saviour ? 

" And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is 
set for the fall and risiitg again of many in Israel.'''' Luke 2 : 34. 

,. To whom did Anna the prophetess speak of the Saviour ? 

" And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of 
hixn. X.O all thetn that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.'''' Verse 38. The 
words of Simeon and Anna show the general expectation of the Jewish people 
concerning the Messiah and his mission to the earth. They expected redemp- 
tion, not through their outward forms, but through the Lord Jesus. 

. In the preannouncement of Christ's birth and name, what did the 
angel say he should do ? 

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus [saviour] ; for 
he shall save his people from their sins." Matt. I : 21. 
[272] 



L^Vsl NHD C^OSP^V.. 273 



6. On what condition was he to save them ? 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that zuhosoever 
believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3 : 16. 

7. Christ saves believers from their sins under the Christian dispen- 

sation ; but did his death cover transgressions in the old dis- 
, pensation ? 

" And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of 
death, for the rede7nption of tJie tra7zsgressions that were under the first testa- 
ment.'''' Heb. 9 : 15. 
Note. — The blood of Christ will avail for believers in the old dispensation as 
well as for those in the new. In the first promise made to man, that the seed 
of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, was as verily the gospel of Je- 
sus Christ as was the song the angels sung over the plains of Bethlehem, to the 
shepherds, as they watched their flocks by night, " Glory to God in the high- 
est, peace on earth, good will to men." 

8. How did Abel show his faith in the coming Saviour? 

" By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." Heb, 
II : 4. 
Note. — " Abel brought a firstling of the flock in faith of Christ, the great sacri- 
fice for sin. God accepted his offering. Through the blood of that firstling, 
Abel saw the blood of Jesus Christ. He looked forward to Christ, and made 
his offering in the faith and hope of the gospel, and through it saw the great 
sacrifice for sin, as truly as we see the bleeding Lamb, as we look back to 
Calvary, through the broken bread and the fruit of the vine," — J. W., in 
Law and Gospel. 

9. What did the ceremonial law of the Jews contain ? 

" For the law having a shadow of good things to come.''^ Heb. 10 : I. 

10. What were these "good things to come" which this law fore- 

shadowed ? 

"But Christ being come a High Priest of good things to come., by a greater and more 
perfect tabernacle." Heb. 9:11. 

Note. — The Jewish system looked forward to Christ as the world's Redeemer. 
" The law," says Paul, " having a shadow of good things to come." The 
typical system is but the shadow. The good things, of which Christ as a 
sacrifice and mediator is the center, are the body that casts its shadow back 
into the Jewish age. The bleeding sacrifices of the legal system were but the 
shadow. Christ, bleeding on the cross, was the great reality, and the gospel 
was the objective point in their faith. 

1 1. Did those of the patriarchal age have a knowledge of sin ? 

" Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said unto him. What hast thou done unto 
us ? and what have I offended thee, that thou hast brought on me and on my 
kingdofn a great sin? Thou hast done deeds unto me that ought not to be 
done." Gen. 20 : 9 ; 4 : 7 ; 13 : 13. 



274 ^\^LL RLN^\UG^S, 



12. By what means mustihey have gained that knowledge ? 

"By the law is the knowledge of sin." "I had not known sin, but by the law." 
Rom. 3 : 20 ; 7:7. 

13. Was there a priesthood in the days of Abraham, to minister for 

the sins of the people ? 

" For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, pj'iest of the most high God, who met 
Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him." Heb. 
7:1. 

14. And was the gospel preached to Abraham? 

" And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, 
preached before the gospel unto Abraham.'''' Gal. 3 : 8. 
Note. — We have learned from the foregoing scriptures that from the earliest 
age men were convinced of sin, and that their knowledge of their sinful condi- 
tion could be learned in no other way than by a moral rule — even God's law. 
They also had a ministering priesthood, to point them to Christ, which was 
the good news, or gospel, that gave them hope in a coming Messiah actually 
to take away their sins. When Christ came, he died for the transgressions 
which had been committed in the old dispensation, just the same as he did 
for those which would be committed under the new. 

15. But when Christ came, did he expect to put away the law of God 

in order to save men? 

" Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets : I am not come to 
destroy, but to fulfill." Matt. 5:17. He came to fulfill the law ; that is, to 
carry out its design. The law was ordained to life. Rom. 7 : 10. Had man 
never broken the law, he would not have been a sinner, and would therefore, 
from the first, have lived eternally. Now Christ fulfills it, or carries its de- 
sign into effect, that is, gives life to the believer in him. Had man never 
transgressed the law, he would not have needed Christ ; if the law could 
have been done away, after man had broken it, he would not then have 
needed Christ ; for it is the law, and that only, which condemns him to death. 
Take away the instrument of death, and man would live. Christ could not 
abate a jot of that law ; for his mission was to make an atonement before the 
law, in behalf of the sinner. 

16. How much of the law did Christ say should remain in force ? 

" For verily I say unto you. Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall 
in no wise pass from the law, till all [Greek, all things'\ be fulfilled." Matt. 
5:18. 

17. Then if we have faith in Christ and the gospel, how does that 

affect the law ? 

' ' Do we then make void the law through faith ? God forbid : yea, 7ve establish 
the law.'''' Rom. 3 :3i. The fact that Christ is necessary to save one from 
eternal death, shows the law still in force. When one applies to Christ to 
save him, he virtually acknowledges the power of the law to slay him, and 



\_K^ NUD GOS?^^. 275 



thus the law is " estabHshed." The law must exist with the gospel ; other- 
wise the gospel were a nullity. If there is no law, the letter of which kills, 
there can be no lost condition from which to save one ; hence the gospel 
would have no mission. 

i8. How many lawgivers are there? 

" There is one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy." James 4:12. 

19. Does Christ hold the position of lawgiver? 

" If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 
I John 2:1. It would seem out of place for a judge on the bench to be ad- 
vocate for another in his own court. How could he, in fact, plead before 
himself in behalf of a culprit ? Such work would be only a farce. So it 
would not be consistent for Christ to be a lawgiver, or judge, and an advo- 
cate at the same time. We have broken the Father's law, and must, if par- 
doned, have Christ as our High Priest plead before the Father and his law 
for our lives that have been justly forfeited. 

20. In the closing message to the world, how are the law and the gos- 

pel associated ? 
"Here are they that keep the coifimandments of God and the faith of 'Jesus.'''' 
Rev. 14 : 12. 
Note. — " There is no salvation in the law. There is no redeeming quality in 
law. Redemption is through the blood of Christ. The sinner may cease to 
break the commandments of God, and strive with all his powers to keep 
them ; but this will not atone for his sins, and redeem him from his present 
condition in consequence of past transgression. . . . The hope of eternal 
salvation hangs upon Christ. Adam hung his hope there. Abel, Enoch, 
Noah, Abraham, and the believing Jews hung theirs there. We can do no 
more. The hope of the next life depends upon Christ. Faith in his blood 
can alone free us from our transgressions. And a life of obedience to the 
commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will be a sufficient passport 
through the golden gates of the city of God." — J. W., in Law and Gospel. 



•^^j^-^ 



,OD'S holy law, transgressed, 
Speaks nothing but despair ; 
Burdened with guilt, with grief oppressed, 
We find no comfort there. 

Not all our groans and tears. 
Nor works which we have done. 

Nor vows, nor promises, nor prayers. 
Can e'er for sin atone. 

Relief alone is found 

In Jesus' precious blood ; 
'T is this that heals the mortal wound, 

And reconciles to God. 





HAT is to endure throughout all generations ? 

" Thy name, O Lord, endureth forever ; and Mjj/ memorial, O Lord, through- 
out all generations.'''' Ps. 135 : 13. Memorial. — " Anything intended to pre- 
serve the memory of a person, an occurrence, or the like ; something which 
serves to keep something else in remembrance ; a monument." — Webster. 

2. Does the Bible give any illustration of this definition ? 

^^ And these stones shall be for a memorial unto the children of Israel forever." 
Joshua 4:7. 

3. What were these stones to commemorate? 

" And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask 
their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones ? then ye 
shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry 
land.^'' Verses 21, 22. These stones were to be a standing memorial of that 
people's coming dry-shod over the Jordan. 

4. What was another memorial instituted to commemorate another 

signal providence in behalf of the Israelites ? 
"And this day shall be unto you for a mejnorial ; and ye shall keep it a feast to 
the Lord throughout your generations ; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordi- 
nance forever." Ex. 12 : 14; 13 13-9. This was a periodical memorial, to 
be observed as often as the fourteenth day of the first month arrived, which 
was the day the Israelites were delivered from Egyptian bondage, and its cel- 
ebration was in commemoration of that event. 

5. Does God design that his power in creating the world shall be re- 

membered, as well ? 
" The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure 
therein. His work is honorable and glorious ; and his righteousness endureth 
forever. He hath made his wonderful works to be reinembered.'''' Ps. Ill : 
2-4. 

6. What memorial has he given by which to remember it ? 

*' Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do 
all thy work : but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God ; . . . 
for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them 
is, and rested the seventh day ; wherefore [for this reason] the Lord blessed 
the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.''^ Ex. 20: 8-1 1. 
[276] 



GO^'S ^L^O^\N\.. 2?7 



7. For what reason does he say again that he gave the Sabbath to the 

children of Israel ? 
" Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths to be a sign between me and them, that 
they might kftow that I am the Lord that sanctify them." Eze. 20 : 12. It is 
manifest that if the object of the Sabbath w^s to keep God as the Creator in 
mind, and it had been faithfully kept from the first, there v^^ould not now be 
a heathen on the face of the earth. 

8. How long was the Sabbath to be a sign, or memorial, of the true 

God? 
" // is a sign between me and the children of Israel forever ; for in six days the 
Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was re- 
freshed." Ex. 31 : 17. 

9. Who are the children of Israel ? 

" Who are Israelites ; to whom, pert aineth the adoption, and the glory, and the cov- 
enants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises." 
Rom. 9 : 4. 

10. What did the promises to Abraham embrace ? 

"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to 
seeds, as of many ; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.^'' Gal. 
3:16. 

11. When we receive Christ, what relation do we sustain to Abraham 

and the promises ? 

"And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham'' s seed, and heirs according to the 
pro?nise.''^ Verse 29. 

12. What does James denominate the Christian church? 

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which 
are scattered abroad, greeting." James I : I. 

13. When redeemed, will the saints remember God's creative power? 
" Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power ; for thou hast 

created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created." Rev. 
4:11. 

14. How often will they congregate to worship the Lord ? 

" And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one 
Sabbath to another^ shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord." 
Isa. 66 : 23. 

15. How long will this state of things exist? 

" For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain be- 
fore me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.'''' Verse 22. 
Note. — The Sabbath, which is the memorial of God's creative power, will never 
cease to exist. When this sinful state of things shall give way to a sinless 
new earth, the fact upon which the Sabbath institution is based will still re- 
main, and those who shall be permitted to live in the new earth, will still 
commemorate the creative power of God, while singing the song of Moses and 
the Lamb. Rev. 15:3. Thus the words of David will be proven true : 
" Thy name, O Lord, endureth forever ; and thy memorial, O Lord, through- 
out all generations." Ps, 135 : 13. 




Importance of 0bedienee. 

OW does God regard obedience to his word? 

" Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in 
obeying the voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, 
and to hearken than the fat of rams." I Sam. 15 : 22. 

To what are rebellion and stubbornness likened ? 

' For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and 
idolatry.'''' Verse 23. 

3. What excuse did Saul make for his disobedience ? 

" I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and thy words; because I 
feared the people, and obeyed their voice." Verse 24. 
Note. — T'Sx&fear of the people is the great hinderance now to obeying the voice 
of God. Men know better than they do. It will be said to such by and by, 
as it was said to Saul, "The Lord hath rejected thee." 

4. How strictly does God require his commandments to be kept ? 

" Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish 
aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the Lord your God 
which I command you." Deut. 4 : 2. 

5. Who was sent from Judah to Bethel with a message from God ? 

"And, behold, there came a man of God out of Judah by the word of the Lord 
unto Bethel : and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense." I Kings 
13:1. 

6. What did king Jeroboam invite the man to do? 

"And the king said unto the man of God, Come home rvith me, and refresh thy- 
self, and I will give thee a reward." Verse 7. 

7. What reply did he return to the king ? 

"If thou wilt give me half thine house, I will not go in with thee, neither will I 
eat bread nor drink water in this place ; for so was it charged me by the 70ord 
of the Lord.'''' Verses 8, 9. 

8. Who also dwelt at Bethel ? 

"Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel." Verse 11. 

9. What did this old prophet say to the man of God ? 

*'Then he said unto him, Come home with me, and eat bread." Verse 15. 
[278] 



10. After hearing his refusal, and the reason for it, what did he say 

to the man of God ? 

*' He said unto him, I am a prophet also as thou art ; and an angel spake unto me 
by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, 
that he may eat bread and drink water. But he Hed unto him." Verse i8. 

11. What effect did this persuasive statement have upon him ? 

" So he went back with him, and did eat bread in his house, and drank water." 
Verse 19. 

12. What was the result of his yielding to the lying importunities of 

the prophet ? 

"Thus saith the Lord, Forasmuch as thou hast disobeyed the mouth of the Lord, 
and hast not kept the commandment which the Lord thy God commanded 
thee, but camest back, and hast eaten bread and drunk water in the phxce of 
the which the Lord did say to thee. Eat no bread, and drink no water ; thy 
carcass shall not come unto the sepulcher of thy fathers.^'' Verses 21, 22. 
Note. — The history of this man shows how unsafe it is to trust the counsel of 
those who speak contrary to the express command of God, even though they 
may affirm that an angel from heaven has spoken to them. God gives his 
word so plainly that no one need mistake ; and if any part of his will were to 
be changed, he would make that as plain to all as he had the first message 
given them. 

13. Where was the priest to obtain the fire with which he offered in- 

cense in the sanctuary ? 

" And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before 
the Lord.'''' Lev. 16 : 12. 

14. What two priests ventured to disobey this instruction ? 

"And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and 
put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the 
Lord, which he commanded them not." Lev. 10 : I. 

15. And what came of their disobedience ? 

"And there xoent out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before 
the Lord." Verse 2. 
Note. — Should such a matter, trivial though it might seem, be left unpunished, 
in a little time strange fire would be the rule instead of the exception, and 
finally the worship of God would be entirely changed, so that God himself 
M'ould not be recognized. Those priests might have reasoned as some do now 
concerning God's commandments: "What difference will it make whether I 
carry out the strict letter of the word, or not, as long as I am honest ? " But 
one is not strictly honest who, knowing what God has said on a certain point, 
chooses to do differently from what the commandment enjoins, no matter how 
much he may try to believe himself honest. God demands implicit obedience 
to all his commandments. 




[28o] 



THE DISOBEDIENT PROPHET. 



^\^LL ^LK\^\UG.S. 281 



i6. For what purpose were these Old Testament examples written? 

"Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples : and they are written 
for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.'''' i Cor. 
lo : II. 

17. In view of these examples, what ought all to do? 

'■'■^vX be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves." 
James I : 22. 

18. Who only will enter the kingdom of heaven ? 

"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom 
of heaven : but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." 
Matt. 7 : 21. 

19. To whom does Christ liken the man who obeys the word of God ? 

" I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock : and the rain 
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that 
house ; and it fell not : for it was founded upon a rock." Verses 24, 25. 

20. To whom does he liken him who hears, but does not obey ? 

"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be 
likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upo7i the sand : and the rain 
descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that 
house ; and it fell : and great was the fall of it." Verses 26, 27. 
Note. — How important it is that one should obey even what may seem to him 
a small or unimportant command of God ! Be sure that God does not say one 
thing and mean another. A large part of the world transgress, each week, 
the fourth commandment. But how can such meet their record in the judg- 
ment when that precept reads so plainly, "The seventh day is the Sab- 
bath of the Lord"? 



^^ 



PEAR the words our Saviour hath spoken, 
Words of life, unfailing and true ; 
Careless one, prayerless one, hear and remembei 
Jesus says, "Blessed are they that do." 

All in vain we hear his commandments. 

All in vain his promises too ; 
Hearing them, fearing them, never can save us, 

Blessed, O blessed are they that do! 

They with joy may enter the city, 

Free from sin, from sorrow and strife. 

Sanctified, glorified, now and forever. 
They may have right to the tree of life. 

?. ?. 'Buss 








Results of Qisobedienee. 

HAT has man's redemption from sin cost ? 

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that 
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting 
life." John 3 : i6 ; Heb. 5 : 7-9. 

2. How great was this love.? 

" For scarcely for a righteous man will one die ; yet peradventure for a good man 
some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in 
that, while zve were yet sinners, Christ died for tis.'''' Rom. 5 : 7, 8 ; Jer. 
31 =3. 

. In return, what does God require of us ? 

" And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind." Luke 
10 : 27 ; Deut. 6 : 5. 

.. What is the love of God ? 

" For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments.'''' i John 5 : 3 
[282] 



5. Does the Lord compel obedience? 

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. 
And let him that is athirst come. And whosoevet' will, let Jtim take tJie water 
of life freely.''^ Rev. 22 : 17 ; Joshua 24 : 15. 

6. Why does he ask obedience ? 

" O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments ! then had thy peace been as 
a river, arid thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.'''' Isa. 48 : 18 ; i : 19, 
20 ; John 15 : 10. 

7. What did God forbid those to do who assisted in removing the 

sanctuary from place to place ? 

"And when Aaron and his sons have made an end of covering the sanctuary, and 
all the vessels of the sanctuary, as the camp is to set forward ; after that, the 
sons of Kohatli shall come to bear it : but they shall rtot touch any holy 
thing, lest they die.'''' Num. 4 : 15. 

8. When David designed to remove the ark of the covenant from 

Gibeah to Jerusalem, how did he propose to do it? 

" And they set the ark of God upon a new cart, and brought it out of the house of 
Abinadab that was in Gibeah ; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, 
drave the new cart." 2 Sam. 6:3. 
Note. — This was the first wrong step in the matter. God had specified that the 
ark should always be borne on the shoulders of men. Num. 7:9;! Chron. 
15 : 15. It would not be strange, if, upon making the first wrong move, 
nothing serious should happen, they would be emboldened to digress Still fur- 
ther. 

9. What was one of these men next led to do ? 

" And when they came to Nachon's threshing-floor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the 
ark of God, and took hold of it ; for the oxen shook it." 2 Sam. 6 : 6. This 
was the very thing they had been forbidden to do. 

10. How did the Lord regard this act? 

" And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah, and God smote him there 
for his error ; and there he died by the ark of God." Verse 7. 
Note. — There can be no question but what Uzzah had the best of intentions in at- 
tempting to steady the ark. But if they had been carrying the ark by the 
poles thrust through the rings in its side, as they were commanded, the occa- 
sion for laying his hand on the sacred chest would not have occurred. This 
shows how even well-intended efforts may be misdirected when one persists in 
taking his own course in the service of God ; and also how God regards such 
efforts. It is extremely unsafe to deviate in the least particular from the 
plainly marked path of God's commandments. 

11. What did Samuel say Saul had done in disobeying a plain com- 

mand given him ? 



'284: ^^suus ov \^\so^^\^\tuct. 

"And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee ; for ^/lou hast rejected 
the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over 
Israel." i Sam. 15 : 26. We should ever think of this, when tempted to dis- 
obey one of the Lord's requirements. 

12. When the angels had put Lot and his family out of the doomed 

city of Sodom, what admonition did they give them ? 

" Escape for thy life : look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain : es- 
cape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." Gen. ig : 17. This was a 
simple, and seemingly unimportant order ; yet how weighty to those refugees 
from the devoted city ! 

13. When Lot's wife looked back, what became of her? 

"But his wife looked back from behind him, and sJie became a pillar of salt.'''' 
Verse 26. 

14. In referring to this, what warning does our Saviour give to all ? 
" Remember Lot's wife." Luke 17 :32. 

15. When evidently citing these cases, what solemn question does the 

apostle ask ? 

" For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and dis- 
obedience received a just recompense of reward, hotv shall ive escape, if ive 
neglect so great salvation ? " Heb. 2 : 2, 3. 

16. What does he say in another j^lace of those who persist in willful 

sins ? 

"For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, 
there re7?iaineth no more sacrifcefor sins.'''' Heb. 10 : 26. 

17. How does the Saviour regard the worship of those who allow a 

tradition to take the place of one of God's commandments ? 

"But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of 
men." Matt. 15 -.9. 
Note. — With these plain words of Christ before them, there are some who will 
break the fourth commandment, and instead, rest on the first day, for which 
they have only a man-made commandment. True, some have died, conscien- 
tiously observing the first day, supposing it to be the Sabbath. God does not 
hold such responsible, simply because they did it in their ignorance. Probably 
they would have rejoiced to change their course had light come to them. It 
will not be so, however, with those who have been enlightened with reference 
to their duty, and still disobey God. Let all take heed to their ways ; for 
there is only one safe side to every moral question. 






1 lit will gujde. you into olllrn th.'^=^| 





\Coi^^ of the golx; gpii^it. 



HAT is the first work the Bible ascribes to the Spirit of God ? 

'' And the earth was without form, and void : and darkness was upon the 
face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the 
waters.'''' Gen. i : 2. 

Note. — The original word for "moved" "expresses that tremulous motion 
made by the hen while either hatching her eggs or fostering her young. It 
here probably signifies the communicating a vital or prolific principle to the 
waters. ' ' — Dr. A. Clarke. 

2. By what power did Christ work miracles ? 

" But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come 
unto you." Matt. 12:28. 

3. To what is his resurrection ascribed ? 

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might 
bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit.'''' 
I Peter 3 : 18. 

4. How is conviction produced in the mind of the sinner ? 

" And when he [the Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of right- 
eousness, and of judgment." John 16 : 8 ; Gen. 6 : 3. 

5. What office does the Spirit perform for the Christian ? 

" And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he 
may abide with you forever." John 14 : 16. 

6. What other work does the Spirit perform ? 

" God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the 
Spirit and belief of the truth." 2 Thess. 2 : 13. 

7. What is the word of God said to be ? 

"And take the helmet of salvation, and the s%vord of the Spirit, which is the word 
of God." Eph. 6:17. 

[285] 



286 ^\^V.L ^LN\^\UGkS. 



8. In what manner did the Spirit make known the word ? 

" For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man : but holy men of God 
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghosts 2 Peter I : 21. 

9. In what manner did the Lord speak to these holy men ? 

" After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a visiofi, saying, 
Fear not, Abram : I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward." Gen. 
15:1; Num. 12:6; Isa. i : i ; Eze. I : I. 

10. Was this gift of the Spirit to be confined mostly to the time of the 

Old Testament ? 

" And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh : 
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream 
dreams, your young men shall see visions." Joel 2 : 28. 

11. How did Peter by inspiration render this term afterward ? 

" And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit 
upon all flesh : and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your 
young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams." Acts 
2 : 17. 

12. What does Paul call the Spirit? 

*'In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of 
promise.'''' Eph. i : 13. 

13. Why was it thus designated ? 

" Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the 
Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now 
see and hear." Acts 2 : 33 ; i : 4, 5. 

14. Why did Jesus say it was necessary for him to go unto the Father ? 

"For if I go not away, the Comforter luill not come tuito yoti ; but if I depart, I 
will send him unto you." John 16 : 7. 

15. Were the gifts of the Spirit referred to in this promise? 

"Wherefore he saith. When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and 
gave gifts unto men." Eph. 4 : 8. 

16. What were these gifts ? 

" And he gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and 
some, pastors and teachers." Verse 11. 

17. Were all these gifts by the same Spirit? 

" Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." l Cor. 12 14, 8-II. 

18. What commission did Christ give to his disciples ? 

"And he said unto them. Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
creature." Mark 16 : 15. 



NNOH\^ OV TV\L HOL^ S?\R\1. 287 

19. Why did they not proceed immediately to that work? 

"And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you : but tarry ye in the city 
of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.'''' Luke 24 : 49 ; 
Acts I : 8. 

20. How long did Jesus promise to be with those who preach the 

gospel ? 

" Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, 
lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.'''' Matt. 28 : 20. 
Note. — It is very certain that the Lord did not design to have his gospel 
preached without the aid of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of which he placed in 
the church (i Cor. 12 : 28), there to remain as long as his commission to men 
shall last. Acts 2 :38, 39 ; Eph. 4 : 11-13. This subject is continued in the 
following reading. 



^>^ 



FOR that flame of living fire 

Which shone so bright in saints of old ; 
Which bade their souls to heaven aspire, 
Calm in distress, in danger bold ! 

Where is that spirit, Lord, which dwelt 
In Abram's breast, and sealed him thine ? 

Which made Paul's heart with sorrow melt. 
And glow with energy divine? — 

That spirit which from age to age 

Proclaimed thy love, and taught thy ways ? 
Brightened Isaiah's vivid page, 

And breathed in David's hallowed lays ? 

Is not thy grace as mighty now 

As when Elijah felt its power ? 
When glory beamed from Moses' brow, 

Or Job endured the trying hour ? 

Remember, Lord, the ancient days ; 

Renew thy work, thy grace restore ; 
And while to thee our hearts we raise. 

On us thy Holy Spirit pour. 





Spii^itual Gi^ts. 



EFORE man fell, how did God communicate with him? 

"And the Lord God called tinto Adam, and said unto him. Where 
art thou ? " Gen. 3 : 9. 

Note. — "It is very likely that God used to converse with them 
[Adam and Eve] in the garden, and that the usual time was the de- 
cline of day ; . . . and probably this was the time that our first parents 
employed in the more solemn acts of their religious worship, at which God 
was ever present." — Dr. A. Clarke, on Gen. j : 8, g. 

Since the fall, how has God talked with man ? 

God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the 
fathers by the prophets.'''' Heb. I : I. 

What was the object of speaking " by the projDhets " ? 

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his 
servants the prophets." Amos 3 : 7. 

By what influence did the prophets reveal God's will ? 

■ For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man ; but holy men of God 
spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.'''' 2 Peter I :2l ; 2 Sam. 23 : 2. 

Then what may the gift of prophecy be called ? 

A gift of the Holy Spirit, or a spiritual gift. 

What was said regarding the words of God's prophets ? 

'Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established ; believe his prophets, so 
shall ye prosper.''^ 2 Chron. 20:20. 

In what way did God reveal himself to the prophets ? 

' If there be a prophet among you, / the Lord will make myself known unto 
him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream." Num. 12 : 6. 

How were the Lord's words preserved to the people ? 

' Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed ; then he wrote the 
dream, and told the sum of the matters." Dan. 7:1; Jer. 51 : 60, 61. 
[288] 



S?\R\1V^NV. (^\ns. 289 



9. What had these writings to do with the people's understanding 
future events ? 
" I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the 
Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years 
in the desolations of Jerusalem." Dan. 9 : 2. 

10. How did God's ministers use the words of the prophets in exhort- 

ing the people to obedience ? 

" Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, 
when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity?" Zech. 7 : 7 ; 2 Chron. 
20 : 20. 

11. How were people to know whether or not the words of prophets 

were from the Lord ? 
" \Anien a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor 
come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the 
prophet hath spoken it presumptuously ; thou shalt not be afraid of him." 
Deut. 18 : 22, 

12. What was considered a still better test on this point ? 

"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a 
sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake 
unto thee, saying, Let ms go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and 
let us serve them ; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or 
that dreamer of dreams ; for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether 
ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Deut. 
13 : 1-3- 
Notes. — It will be seen by these scriptures, that, in the first place, if a prophet's 
words did not prove to be true, it was evidence that God had not sent that 
prophet. On the other hand, even though the thing predicted did come to 
pass, if the pretended prophet did not keep God's commandments, but instead 
led others to break them, then it would be positively known that he was not 
a true prophet. To obey God is the first duty of all ; hence he who does not 
obey him cannot know the mind of God, to teach it to the people. God 
sometimes suffers the predictions of such to come to pass, to see whether or 
not the people will follow his word. See Deut. 13 14, 5. 

" God permits such impostors to arise to try the faith of his followers, and 
to put their religious experience to the test ; for he who experimentally knows 
God, cannot be drawn away after idols." — Dr. Clarke, on Deut. IJ-'J- 

13. What was predicted concerning the spirit of prophecy in the last 

days? 
" And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh ; 
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream 
dreams, your young men shall see visions." Joel 2 : 28. 

14. When did this prediction commence to be fulfilled? 

" But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel : And it shall come to pass 
in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh ; and 
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see 
visions, and your old men shall dream dreams." Acts 2 : 16, 17. 

19 



290 B\BVL RLN\)\UGS. 



15. To whom was this promise to extend? 

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the 
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of 
the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to you7' children, and to all 
that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 
2:38,39- 

16. What relation should the Christian church sustain toward these 

spiritual gifts? 

"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, / -would not have you ignorant.'''' 
I Cor. 12 : I. 

17. What is the object of these gifts ? 

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.''* 
Verse 7. 

18. How many of these gifts does the apostle enumerate? 

" For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom ; to another the word of 
knowledge by the same Spirit ; to another faith by the same Spirit ; to an- 
other the gifts of healing by the same Spirit ; to another the working of 
miracles ; to another prophecy ; to another discerning of spirits ; to another 
divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues." Verses 
8-10. 

19. Which one of these does the apostle say is especially desirable? 

" Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.'''' 
I Cor. 14 : I. 
Notes. — "This refers not to ordinary religious discourses for the edification of 
the church, but to such a forthspeaking of the mind of God in relation to 
truth, duty, or coming events as the inward action of the Holy Spirit on the 
mind may produce." — iW Clintock and Strong's Biblical Cyclopedia, art. 
Spiritual Gifts. 

"The gift of prophecy was that charism which enabled its possessors to 
utter, with the authority of inspiration, divine strains of warning, exhortation, 
encouragement, or rebuke ; and to teach and enforce the truths of Chris- 
tianity with supernatural energy and effect." — Conybeare and Howson'' s Life 
of Paul, p. J7J, people'' s edition. 

20. Whom was this gift designed to benefit ? 

"Prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe." 
I Cor. 14 : 22. 

2 1. What effect is the exercise of these gifts to have upon the church ? 

"And he gave some, apostles ; and some, prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and 
some, pastors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of 
the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ ; till we all come in the 
unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect 
man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Eph. 4 t 
11-13. 



S?\\\nV^NV. G^W^S. 291 



22. Where did God place- these gifts ? 

" And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly 
teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, di- 
versities of tongues." I Cor. 12:28. 

23. Who came from Judea to Caesarea to see Paul ? 

"And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judea a certain 
prophet, named Agabus." Acts 21 : 10. 

24. What did he do as soon as he saw the apostle? 

" And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands 
and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem 
bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of 
the Gentiles.'' Verse ii. 
Note. — The verses immediately following this last quotation show that while 
Paul did not disbelieve the testimony of Agabus, he would not be dissuaded 
from going on his mission to Jerusalem. It is, then, very evident that God 
desired him to go, and sent this warning to him to prepare his mind for the 
trials he was sure to meet. 

25. At a later period, what did Paul say these trials had wrought? 

" But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto 
me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." Phil, i : 12. 

26. How long was it designed that these gifts should last? 

" For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect 
is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." I Cor. 13 : 9, 10. 
Note. — "It will not do to say that these gifts were restricted in their bestow- 
ment to the apostles and early Christians. All will allow that what Paul says 
of 'charity,' or love, 'the more excellent way,' in I Cor. 13, applies to Chris- 
tians in all subsequent time, and yet he immediately exhorts to ' covet earnestly 
the best gifts.' The truth is, the church needs these gifts at this day to battle 
against error in its various forms. She needs them to preserve in her own 
mind the idea of the spiritual, the supernatural. She needs them as orna- 
ments to supersede her jewelry. Let her '■covet earnestly'' these gifts, and 
there would be less covetousness of worldly riches and honor ; less covetousness 
of worldly display." — Wm. Eddy, in Northwestern Christian Advocate, i8^j. 

27. What admonition does Paul give respecting the gift of prophecy? 
"Despise not prophesyings." I Thess. 5 : 20. 

28. What is the ^' testimony of Jesus " ? 

" The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19 : 10. 

29. Why is it necessary for the church now to have confirmed in it the 

testimony of Christ ? 

" Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you, so that ye come behind in 
no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." I Cor. i : 6, 7. 

30. What will characterize the last, or " remnant," church ? 

" And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the rem- 
nant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony 
of Jesus Christ.'''' Rev. 12 : 17. 





guppoi^t of the TVliJ^istrx;. 

HAT are some of the dangers of the worldly minded ? 

I "But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many 
foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdi- 
tion." I Tim. 6 : 9. 

2. What charge is given to those who have much of this world ? 

" Charge them that are rich in this world, that they /;<? noi high-minded, nor trust in 
uncertain riches, but in the Hvittg God, who giveth us richly all things to en- 
joy." Verse 17. 

3. Who claims the gold and silver of earth ? 

" The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." Haggai 2 : 8. 

4. Who owns all the cattle and fowls of the earth ? 

" For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I 
know all the fowds of the mountains : and the wild beasts of the field are mine." 
Ps. 50 : 10, II. 

5. Man, then, really owns nothing of this world. In what capacity 

does he hold property ? 

" For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country, who called 
his own servants, and delivered unto them Jus goods.'''' Matt. 25 : 14-30. 

6. How does man have power to get wealth ? 

" But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God ; for it is he that giveth thee power 
to get wealth:' Deut. 8:18. 
[292] 



SV)VVO\\T OV IHL U\U\S1?.\. • 293 

7. What, then, should be one's attitude toward God? 

"And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, 
and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength." Luke 10 : 27. 

8. How may one show honor to God ? 

" Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase." 
Prov. 3 : 9. 

9. What part of one's income does the Lord claim ? 

" And all the tithe [tenth] of the land, whether of the seed of the land, or of the 
fruit of the tree, is the Lord's : it is holy unto the Lord.'''' Lev. 27 : 30. 

10. If one withholds from God that which belongs to him, of what sin 

is he guilty ? 

"Will a man rob God ? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we 
robbed thee ? Ln tithes and offerings.''^ Mai. 3 : 8. 

11. How early in the history of the world do we read of tithe-paying? 

" For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God^ who met Abra- 
ham returning from the slaughter of the kings, anu olessed him ; to whom also 
Abraham gave a tenth part of all.'''' Heb. 7 : I, 2. 

12. Tithes were collected under the Melchisedec priesthood. Is that 

order of priesthood now in existence ? 

"Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even jfesus, made a high priest forever 
after the order of Melchisedec.'''' Heb. 6 : 20. Abraham paid tithes under the 
Melchisedec priesthood. Christ our High Priest is of the same order of priest-- 
hood. If we are Christ's, then are we Abraham's children. Gal. 3 : 29. 

13. If we are Abraham's children indeed, what should we do ? 

"Jesus saith unto them. If ye were Abraham's children, ;,'<? would do the works of 
Abrahatyi.'''' John 8 : 39. 

14. Did Christ, when on earth, approve of the tithing system? 

"Ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier mat- 
ters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith : these ought ye to have done, and 
not to leave the other undone.''^ Matt. 23 : 23. 

15. What did Paul say of those who ministered in the temple of the 

old dispensation ? 

" Do ye not know that .ney which minister about holy things live of the things of the 
temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar ?^^ 
I Cor. 9 : 13. 

16. What does he argue from this fact concerning this dispensation? 

" Even so [in like manner] hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gos- 
pel should live of the gospel.''^ Verse 14. 



294 SV^PPOH^ OV TVAL VK\H\S^H^. 

17. Who only were allowed to minister at the altar? 

"That no stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron, come near to offer incense be- 
fore the Lord." Num. 16 : 40. Aaron was of the tribe of Levi. See Ex. 
4 : 14. 

18. What constituted the living of the Levites ? 

" And behold, I have given the children of Levi all the tenth in Israel for an inher- 
itance, for their service which they serve, even the service of the tabernacle of 
the congregation." Num. 18 : 21. 

19. The tenth of the herds and of the increase of the field, God claims 

as his own. Lev. 27 : 30-32. What did the Saviour command 
on this point ? 

" Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are 
Caesar's ; and unto God the things that are God^s.''^ Matt. 22 : 21. 

20. Who ought to feel responsible for the support of the minister ? 

" If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if zve shall reap your 
carnal things ?^^ i Cor. 9: ii. 

2 1. Does Paul enforce this doctrine as a duty ? 

" For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty 
is also to minister unto them in carnal things.'''' Rom. 15 : 27. 

2 2. How much of the tithes does the Lord demand to be brought into 
the store-house ? 

" Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house. " 
Mai. 3 : 10. 

23. How great care will the Lord have for those who give him his 
own ? 

" And I will rebuke the devour er for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits 
of your ground ; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the 
field, saith the Lord of hosts." Verse 11. 




(o-':-,^ 





Temperance. 

ITH what does the apostle class temperance ? 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentle- 
ness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance : against such there is no 
law." Gal. 5 :22, 23. 

What does he say are the habits of one who is successful 
in competing with others ? 

" And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things.^'' I Cor. 
9 : 25. 

3. In running the Christian race, what did Paul say he did in order to 

be successful ? 

"But / keep under my body, and bring it into subjection : lest that by any 
means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." 
Verse 27. 

4. What effect does intemperance have upon one ? 

" Who hath woe ? who hath sorrow ? who hath contentions ? who hath babbling ? 
who hath wounds without cause ? who hath redness of eyes ? They that 
tarry long at the wine ; they that go to seek mixed wine." Prov. 23 : 29, 30. 

5. Why were kings prohibited the use of strong drink ? 

"It is not for kings to drink wine ; nor for princes strong drink : lest they drink, 
Siwd forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.'''' Prov. 
31 : 4, 5- 

6. Why were the priests of the old dispensation not allowed to use 

intoxicating drink ? 

" And the Lord spake unto Aaron, saying. Do not drink wine nor strong drink, 
thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congrega- 
tion, . . . that ye m.ay put difference between holy and unholy, and between 
unclean and clean.''"' Lev, 10 : 8-10. 

[ 295 ] 



296 ^\B^L HL^D\UaS. 



7. Why did Daniel and his companions refuse to drink of the wine of 

the king of Babylon ? 

" But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with, the portion 
of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank." Dan, I : 8. 

8. After protesting against the use of the stimulants offered them, 

what did they request ? 

" Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days ; and let them give us pulse to eat, 
and water to drink.'''' Verse 12. 

9. At the end of the ten days' test, how did these Hebrews appear ? 

"And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer and fatter in 
flesh than all the children which did eat the portion of the king's meat." 
Verse 15. 

10. At the end of three years (the time appointed for them to learn 

the Chaldean tongue. Verses 4, 5) how many in the realm 
were found equal in learning to these abstainers ? 

" Now at the end of the days . . . the king communed with them ; and among 
them all was found none like Daniel^ ^Hananiah^ Mishael^ and Azariah. . . . 
And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king inquired of 
them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers 
that were in all his realm." Verses 18-20. 

11. Did not Paul recommend the use of wine on a special occasion? 

" Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thine 
often infirmities." I Tim. 5 : 23. 
Note. — There are two kinds of wine spoken of in the Bible. One of these 
was the fresh juice of the grape, and was pressed from the fruit into the cup 
as it was needed to drink. Gen. 40 : ii. It is this kind that is said to cheer 
God and man (Judges 9 : 13), and is dried up when the vine is destroyed. 
Joel I : 10-12. The other kind was that which had stood until it fermented, 
and alcohol had formed from the decaying substance. 

12. How is the first kind spoken of? 

" Butter of kine, and milk of sheep, with fat of lambs, and rams of the breed of 
Bashan, and goats, with the fat of kidneys of wheat : and thou didst drink the 
PURE BLOOD OF THE GRAPE." Deut. 32 : I4. 

13. How is the second kind represented ? 

" Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his color in the cupy 
when it moveth itself aright. At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth 
like an adder." Prov. 23 : 31, 32. That is, when it moves upright ; as in the 
process of fermentation, it may be seen moving from the bottom upward. 
The original word here used — aright — means something "upright." 

14. With what other low debaucheries is drunkenness more or less 

associated ? 



1LVA?L\\NHCL. 297 



"Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, 
variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, 
drunkenness, revelings, and such like." Gal. 5 : 19-21. 

15. Can a drunkard enter the kingdom of God unless he reforms ? 

"Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall 
inherit the kingdom of God." I Cor. 6 : 10. 

16. How, then, should a Christian regard one who persists in drunk- 

enness ? 
■ But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a 
brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard." 
I Cor. 5:11. 



•^-S-^ 



aOOK not upon the wine 
;^ That sparkles in its flow. 
For death is slumbering there. 

Beneath its ruddy glow. 
No happiness it bringeth. 
At last it only stingeth ; 
It biteth, and it wringeth 
The heart with bitter woe. 

Behold the giant fiend 
Who laughs in mockery ; 

He binds the strongest heart, 
And boasts of victory. 

No human hand can sever 

His bands that loosen never 

Until the soul forever 
Rests in eternity. 

Go thou, unveil his form, 

And bid the erring flee ; 
O lift the demon's mask, 

And let the tempted see. 
Implore them to awaken 
Ere happiness be taken, 
While fetters may be shaken, 
While yet they may go free. 

Lift up the tempted soul 
Now fallen in despair, 
Direct his thoughts above. 

To God who heareth prayer. 
His arm in mighty power 
Can bid the demon cower, 
And in temptation's hour 
Will an escape prepare. 




Good gealtt). 

HAT important wish (^prayer, margin) is expressed by the 
apostle concerning Gains? 

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in healtJi, even 
as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2. 

2. Why is it necessary to preserve the body in health ? 

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your- 
hodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 
service." Rom. 12 : i. 

3. When one is sanctified according to the Bible, how much of him 

will be affected ? 

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; and I pray God your whole 
spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord 
Jesus Christ." i Thess. 5 : 23. That is, the whole man — body, soul, and 
spirit — is to be set apart to God's service. 

4. Why did the apostle guard himself on the point of diet? 

"But I keep under my body, atid bring it into subjection ; lest that by any means, 
when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." I Cor. 9 : 27. 

5. Is it expedient to eat everything that it is lawful to eat? 

" All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient : all things are law- 
ful for me, but all things edify not." I Cor. 10 : 23. 
Note. — There is no doubt but that Paul is in this place talking about what 
should be eaten. He said that Christians should not for conscience' sake eat 
knowingly of that which had been offered to idols, as that would make the 
partaker an idolater. Verses 20, 21, 28. But if one should be bidden to a 
feast, and he felt disposed to go, he could eat what was set before him. In 
these things one was to consider, not merely his appetite, but the glory of God 
and his influence on others. 

6. Is God's glory to be considered even in one's eating? 

" Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of 
God.'''' I Cor. 10 : 31. 
[298] 



GOO^ V\Lf\UV\. 299 



7. What are the bodies of men said to be ? 

" What ! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in 
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own .'"' I Cor. 6:19. 

8. In view of the Spirit of God's taking possession of the Christian's 

body, what is his duty concerning that body ? 

" For ye are bought with a price : therefore glorify God in your body, and in your 
spirit, which are God's." Verse 20. 
Note. — Just as soon as the Spirit of God comes to dwell in one's body, it is no 
longer his, but is simply in his care. It is his duty religiously to care for that 
body as God's property. If he shall through lust eat that which brings disease 
into the body and destroys its vigor, he has placed it where it no longer 
glorifies God. 

9. What does the apostle say God will do to those who defile or mar 

this temple of his — the human body ? 

"If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy ; for the temple of 
God is holy, which temple ye are." I Cor. 3:17. 

10. Can the body be defiled with improper food or drink? 

" But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile hijuself with the por- 
tion of the king's fneat, nor with the wine which he drank." Dan. I : 8. 

11. What sort of food did Daniel desire ? 

" Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days ; and let them give us pulse to eat, 
and water to drink." Verse 12. The word pulse comes from an original 
word that means " that which grows from seeds." See any commentary. 

12. What was originally given for man's diet? 

" And God said. Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon 
the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree 
yielding seed ; to you it shall be for meat." Gen. I 129. 

13. What kind of flesh did the Lord afterward permit man to eat ? 

"Whatsoever parteth the hoof, and is cloven-footed, and cheweth the cud, among 
the beasts, that shall ye eat." Lev. 11:3. 

14. By what term was this class of creatures distinguished from the 

other? 

" Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female ; 
and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female." Gen. 
7:2. 

15. Which one of these now commonly eaten was mentioned as being 

unfit even to touch? 

'■'•And the swine, because it divideth the hoof, yet cheweth not the cud, it is 
unclean unto you ; ye shall not eat of their flesh, nor touch their dead car- 
cass." Deut. 14 :8. 



300 



G00\) \ALI\UU, 



1 6. Why did the Lord thus restrict the Hebrews ? 

"For thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God, and the Lord hath chosen 
thee to be a peculiar people untd himself, above all the nations that are upon 
the earth. Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing," Verses 2, 3, 
Note. — The swine, like some other creatures of the same class, was designed to 
be a scavenger ; and when opportunity affords, is true to nature. As such it 
is a creature full of disease and filth, and it is plain that the Lord does not 
want his people, whose bodies are his, to be polluted with such loathsome 
diet. 

17. What does the Lord say of those who are found eating swine's 

flesh and the like, when Christ comes ? 

" For, behold, the Lord will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, 
to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. . . . They 
that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one 
tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, 
shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.'''' Isa. 66 : 15-17. 
Note. — When the Lord comes, he is to change the living righteous, that their 
bodies may be like his glorious body. Phil. 3:21. This cannot well be done 
for those who have gross habits of diet. The condition of the body affects 
the mind, and one who lives grossly is more or less sensual in his thoughts. 
One cannot well be pure minded until he brings his body under (i Cor. 9 : 27), 
and cultivates such habits as will be conducive to spiritual mindedness. One 
in poor health cannot glorify God as another whose physical powers are in full 
strength and consecrated to the divine service. It is, then, a moral duty to 
abstain from everything unhealthful, that all the powers of the being may be 
in the best possible condition. 






TWodei^n foi^ms of Jntempei^anee. 

HAT injunction regarding purity did Paul give Timothy ? 

"Keep thyself pure." i Tim. 5 : 22, last clause. 

2. To what extent should all be kept pure ? 

" Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all 
Jilthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 2 
Cor. 7:1. 

3. Can one indulge in the use of anything filthy or polluting, and 

still be pure ? 

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and 
touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you." 2 Cor. 6:17. 

4. What will the Lord do to those who defile the temple of God ? 

"If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy ; for the temple of 
God is holy, which temple ye are." I Cor. 3 : 17. 

5. What article in common use is defiling to the user? 

" Chemists, botanists, and physicians unite in pronouncing tobacco one of the 
most deadly poisons known. No other poison, with the exception of prussic 
acid, will cause death so quickly, only three or four minutes being required 
for a fatal dose to produce its full effect. 

"The active principle of tobacco, that is, that to which its narcotic and 
poisonous properties are due, is nicotine, a heavy, oily substance, which may 

[301] 



302 VI\0\^LHH VOR^S OV \H^L^PL?.KHGL. 



be separated from the dried leaf of the plant "by distillation or infusion. The 
proportion of nicotine varies from two to eight per cent, Kentucky and Virginia 
tobacco usually containing six or seven per cent. A pound of tobacco con- 
tains, on an average, three hundred and eighty grains of this deadly poison, of 
which one tenth of a grain will kill a dog in ten minutes. A case is on record 
in which a man was killed in thirty seconds by this poison. . . . Hottentots 
use the oil of tobacco to kill snakes, a single minute drop causing death as 
quickly as a lightning stroke. It is much used by gardeners and keepers of 
greenhouses to destroy grubs and noxious insects [its proper sphere of useful- 
ness]." — y. H. Kellogg, M. D., in Health Science Leaflets, No. j6. 

6. What are some of the symptoms of tobacco poisoning? 

Dr. B. W. Richardson, one of the highest medical and scientific authorities of 
England, says : " Smoking produces disturbances — [a.) In the blood, causing 
undue fluidity and change in the red blood corpuscles ; [b.) In the stomach, giv- 
ing rise to debility, nausea, and in extreme cases, sickness ; [c.) Of the heart, 
producing debility of that organ, and irregular action ; {d.) Of the organs of 
sense, causing, in the extreme degree, dilatation of the pupil of the eye, con- 
fusion of vision, bright lines, luminous or cobweb specks, and long retention 
of images on the retina, with other and analogous symptoms affecting the ear, 
viz., inability clearly to define sounds, and the annoyance of a sharp, ringing 
sound like a whistle or a bell ; {e.) In the brain, suspending the waste of that 
organ, and oppressing it if it be duly nourished ; {/.) Of the nervous filaments 
and sympathetic or organic nerves, leading to deficient power in them, and to 
oversecretion in those surfaces — glands — over which the nerves exert a con- 
trolling force ; [g. ) In the mucous membrane of the mouth, causing enlarge- 
ment and soreness of the tonsils, — smoker's sore throat, — redness, dryness, 
and occasional peeling off of the membrane, and either unnatural firmness and 
contraction or sponginess of the gums; (//.) On the bronchial surface of the 
lungs when that is already irritable, sustaining the irritation and increasing 
the cough." 

7. What does the apostle exhort all to do concerning their former 

habits ? 

" That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of vien, 
but to the will of God." l Peter 4 : 2. 

8. What reason does he give for this advice ? 

" For the time past of our life may suffice us to have M^rought the will of the Gentiles, 
when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquet- 
ings, and abominable idolatries." Verse 3. That is, when carrying out the 
lusts of the flesh in the way here mentioned, one is doing the will of the Gen- 
tiles, or heathen, instead of the will of God. 

9. With whom was tobacco-using first known ? 

In the month of November, 1492, when Columbus discovered the island of Cuba, 
he sent two sailors to explore it, who reported, when they returned, among 
many other strange and curious discoveries, that the natives carried with them 
lighted fire-brands, and puffed smoke from their mouths and noses, which 



^0\^^\\U VOHUS OV \H1^U?LRKUGL. 303 

they supposed to be the way the savages had of perfuming themselves. They 
afterward declared that they "saw the naked savages twist large leaves to- 
gether, and smoke like devils." Originating with the wild barbarians of 
America, the smoking habit was, after some years, introduced into Europe ; 
and was rapidly adopted, not only by the lower classes, but by those in high 
authority, even princes and nobles participating in the new intoxication. 

10. How are all exhorted to glorify God ? 

*' For ye are bought with a price ; therefore glorify God in your body, and in your 
spirit, which are God's." i Cor. 6 : 20. One certainly cannot glorify God 
in the use of a weed which has the effect on the body that tobacco has. If one 
is addicted to the habit of using the vile stuff, he must abandon it, in order to 
glorify God in all his ways. 

11. What course will those take who are looking for the Saviour? 

" Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall 
be : but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we 
shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him, piirijieth 
himself, even as he is pure.'''' I John 3 : 2, 3. The Lord never indulged in 
any debilitating habits, and if one purifies himself as Christ is pure, he must 
be free from all such habits as tobacco-using, tea and coffee drinking, etc. 
Tea, as well as wine, contains an intoxicating property, as may be easily proved. 
Dr. Roberts, an eminent English physiologist, published in the British Medical 
Journal the results of a series of experiments with tea, coffee, cocoa, chocolate, 
wine, and other stimulants. He states that "tea, even in minute quantities, 
paralyzes completely the action of the salivary secretion upon the food. Tea 
also retards stomachal digestion when the infusion amounts to one fifth of the 
entire contents of the stomach. Coffee and cocoa have very little effect upon 
salivary digestion, but interfere with the digestion of food in the stomach to as 
great an extent as does tea." 

"Tea contains two harmful substances, theine and tannin — from three to six per 
cent of theine and more than one fourth of its weight of tannin. Coffee con- 
tains both theine and tannin, though in less proportion than tea. ... It will 
surprise many devotees of the cup to be told that these common beverages con- 
tain a violent poison, but such is the fact. Theine has been separated from 
both tea and coffee, and experiments have been made with it which show most 
conclusively that it is a deadly poison, capable of producing immediate death in 
both human beings and lower animals. Theine belongs to the same class of 
poisons as strychnia. . . . Te'a contains about three per cent of theine, or 
more than fourteen grains to the ounce. Every pound of tea contains enough 
of this poison to kill fifteen hundred frogs or more than forty cats. . . . Yet 
half an ounce of tea, containing six or seven grains of the poison, is often used 
in making a strong cup of tea. Many persons drink half a dozen or more such 
cups of tea daily, thus imbibing a sufficient amount of poisonous theine to kill 
two or three men not accustomed to its use, if taken at one dose. If tea con- 
tains such a poison, why does it not produce fatal results more frequently 
than it does ? may be inquired. We answer. Simply because a tolerance of 
the drug is established by use, just as in the case of tobacco." — J. H. Kel- 
logg, M. D., in Health Science Leaflets, No. 11. 



301 VIVOD^^H VOH>J\S OV \H^LVJ\VLP.[\UCL. 

The eminent Dr. Bock, of Leipsic, asserts that " the nervousness and peevishness 
of our times are chiefly attributable to tea and coffee ; the digestive organs of 
confirmed coffee-drinkers are in a state of chronic derangement, which reacts 
upon the brain, producing fretful and lachrymose moods. Fine ladies addicted 
to the use of strong coffee have a characteristic temper, which I might describe 
as a mania for acting the persecuted saint. . . . The snappish, petulant humor 
of the Chinese can certainly be ascribed to their immoderate fondness for 
tea." 

If th^ plea is made that these are simply the effects of the excessive use of tea and 
coffee, and that no harmful effects can be attributed to their moderate use, we 
have only to say that the effects referred to are simply those of a poison, and 
it remains yet to be shown that the habitual use of any poison can be in 
any way beneficial to the human system. It is certainly reasonable to sup- 
pose that the only essential difference between the liberal and the moderate 
use of tea and coffee, is that, in one case, great harm is done, and in the other, 
less. Total abstinence from all stimulants and narcotics is the only rule which 
should be accepted by a thorough- going temperance man or woman. 

12. When the saints are gathered at last into the city of God, who 
will be kept out ? 

" And there shall in no wise enter into it anytJiiitg that defile tJi, neither whatsoever 
worketh abomination, or maketh a lie : but they which are written in the 
Lamb's book of life." Rev. 21 : 27. Tobacco, opium, tea, coffee, and such 
things will not find a place there. 



[HEWING in the parlor, • 
\ Smoking in the street. 
Choking with cigar smoke 

Every one you meet ; 

Spitting on the pavement, 

Spitting on the floor, — 

Is there such enslavement ? 

Is there such a bore ? 



-^*H*^ 



w 



Christian Missions, home and foreign, $5,500,000, or jE1,136,570. 



Clergymen's Salaries, $12,000,000, or £2,47^,2} 



Public Education, $96,000,000, or ;{^i9, 834,704. 



Sugar and Molasses, $155,000,000, or ;i^32,o24,793. 



Boots and Shoes, ;^i97,ooo,ooo, or ;^4o,702,479. 



Cotton Goods, $210,000,000, or ;^43,388,429. 



Sawed Lumber, $233,000,000, or ;i^48, 119,834. 



Woolen Goods, $237,000,000, or ;^48,966,942. 



Iron and Steel, $296,000,000, or ^61,157,024. 



Meal, $303,000,000, or ^62,603,305. 



Bread, $505,000,000, or ^104,338,843. 



Tobacco, $600,000,000, or ^,^1 23,966,942. 



Liquor, $900,000,000, or ^185,950,413. 



Comparative Cost of Liquor and Tobacco In the United States. 




Tbe W)o^ld's Giii^se. 



INTEMPERANCE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, 



T is a wasting consumption, fastening upon the vitals of society ; a benumbing 
palsy, extending to the extremities of the body ; a deep and rapid torrent, 
bearing the wreck of nations in its course, and undermining rapidly the foun- 
dations of our own." — Rev. Lyman Beecher, in 1812. 

The sum expended in the United States for alcoholic drinks, tobacco, tea and 
coffee, and opium, amounts to nearly $1,600,000,000 [;i^330,578,5i2], more 
than $30 [;^6,4] annually for each man, woman, and child in the country. 
The sum expended is nearly $250,000,000 [^^5 1,652, 892] more than is ex- 
pended for bread, meat, clothing, education, and Christian missions. The 
accompanying diagram shows the relative amount expended in the United 
States of America, for intoxicating drinks, provisions, clothing, education, 
etc. It is based on the report of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue 
for 1887. The showing as therein set forth needs no comment. But this is 
for only one nation. Considering what further appears in this reading regard- 
ing the liquor traffic of other countries, one can see what an enormous evil in- 
temperance has everywhere become. 

According to statistics collected at Washington, $700,000,000 [^1^144,628,099] are 
annually spent in this country for malt and spirituous liquors. In Chicago 
the estimate is, one baker for ev&ry four hundred and seventy families., one 
grocer for every eighty-nine families, and one liquor saloon for every thirty- 
five families. 

During the past six years the population of Chicago has increased twenty-five per 
cent. During the same time the consumption of beer in that city has in- 
creased ninety-seven per cent, and arrests have increased thirty-eight per 
cent. 20 [ 305 ] 



306 ^\^V.L RLI\^\HC^S. 



According to Dr. B. W. Richardson, if all the public houses in the United States 
were grouped together, they would make a city of 180,000 houses, with 
900,000 inhabitants, which, with attendants and frequenters, would equal 
London in size. 

During the first month after the closing of the wholesale liquor houses in Sioux 
City, Iowa, the arrests numbered one hundred and thirty less than in the pre- 
vious month. 

It is stated that 75,000 gallons of aniline dye were shipped into California in 
1887, to be used in the adulteration of wine made in that State. 

During the Presidential campaign of 1884, there w^ere held in New York City 
1,002 political conventions, — congressional, assembly, aldermanic, etc. Two 
hundred and eighty-three of these conventions were held apart from saloons, 
ninety-six next door to saloons, and six hundred and twenty-three in saloons. 
How long shall such politicians be allowed to mold public sentiment ? 

Col. Switzer, of the National Bureau of Statistics, states that at the request of 
the National Druggist's Association, he has just concluded an investigation to 
ascertain what proportion of the liquor consumed yearly in this country, is 
used in the manufactories of the Association. He finds that this percentage, 
instead of being 50, as had been claimed, or even 30, was only 7.2 per cent. 
Col. Switzer also said that the annual consumption of strong drink in the 
United States averaged an annual cost of $47 [^9.14.4] 'to every man, 
woman, and child. 

The amount of liquor consumed in the United States for thirteen years, from 
1860-1872 inclusive, was 2,762,962,066 gallons. The cost to the consumers 
was $6,780,161,805 [;^i, 400,859, 877]. If put in wagons, ten barrels to the 
wagon, they would extend 45,560 miles — nearly twice around the earth. 

At a conference of distillers recently held in Chicago, it was declared that the 
business was never in a better condition, and that the trade did not need any 
legislation at the hands of Congress. They protested against the reduction of 
the present high licettse, in which action they were supported by the represen- 
tatives from Nebraska, where a $1,000 [;i^2o6] saloon license was required. 

INTEMPERANCE IN GREAT BRITAIN. 

' I am SO horrified at intemperance and the consumption of alcohol in this country, 
that sometimes I feel like giving up everything, and going forth in a holy 
crusade, preaching to all men. Beware of the enemy of the race." — Dr. An- 
drew Clarke, physician to Queen Victoria. 

Archdeacon Farrar returned to England a warm supporter of the Maine prohib- 
itory law, reporting that America was far ahead of England on the temper- 
ance question. Figures support his observation. 

The consumption, per capita, of malt liquors in England is thirty-five gallons, 
against eleven gallons in the United States. Reliable statistics show that the 
latter country ranks the eleventh among the nations of the earth in the con- 
sumption per capita of alcoholic liquors, and sixth in the corresponding con- 
sumption of malt liquors. 

The distilleries of Edinburgh, Scotland, produce annually over 4,000,000 gallons 
of whisky. 



IVAL NMORV.\i'S CU^SL. 307 



The London Christian, commenting upon "Ireland's drink bill," says: "It is 
rather a startling fact that the poorest country in the world should be spend- 
ing annually eleven million pounds upon an absolutely unproductive luxury," 

When speaking of the world's curse, tobacco must not be forgotten. In 1841, 
when the population of Great Britain was twenty-six million, twenty-three 
million pounds of tobacco were used. In 1887, with a population of thirty- 
seven million, fifty-three million pounds were used. 

INTEMPERANCE IN OTHER COUNTRIES. 

It is estimated that for every missionary who goes to Africa, seventy-five thou- 
sand gallons of liquor are sent to that country, 

Wm, Hewitt, speaking of the " Revenues of Russia," attributed the wide-spread 
intemperance to the influence of the government, " The tax on brandy forms 
the most important item in the revenue of Russia ; it amounts to more than 
fifty millions of rubles." 

A writer in the Nation (New York City) says : "In Belgium the consumption of 
alcohol since 1840 has increased from eighteen to forty-three millions of 
francs, and in the industrial counties there is one dram-shop for every six or 
seven persons. Thus in Belgium the working classes spend between fifty and 
sixty millions of francs for alcohol." 
''The Work-a-Day World," of France, draws the following alarming picture of 
the French industrial centers : " Drunkenness is the beginning and ending of 
life in the great French industrial centers. Against this vice what can the 
salaries of women and children do ? The woman's labors help the drunken 
husband on the road to ruin. The child is born with disease in his bones, 
and with evil example before him. There are manufacturing towns (Lille, 
for instance) where the women have followed the example of the men, and 
have added drunkenness to their other vices. It is estimated that at Lille, 
twenty-five out of every one hundred men, and twelve out of every one hun- 
dred women, are confirmed drunkards." 

A recent Swiss document states : "In little less than nine months, from April 12 
to December 31, 1876, there were 349 arrests in the city of Geneva of indi- 
viduals found in a state of intoxication on the public streets, and carried to the 
police station : and from January i to October 2, 1877, there were 610 arrests 
of the same character. The reports of the cantonal hospital from 1865 to 
1873 indicate 224 cases of delirium tremens, 402 of chronic alcoholism. 
From 1874 to 1876 there were 26 cases of alcoholic pneumonia, 114 of delir- 
ium tremens, 52 of chronic alcoholism, ii of absintheism, and 4 of ' vermouth- 
ism ' — 207 in three years, or 67 a year, not including some cases of drunken- 
ness." 

Mr. Labaree, a missionary in Persia, writes : "If I had any sentiments favor- 
able to the use of wine when I left America, my observations during the 
seven years I have resided in this paradise of vineyards have convinced me 
that the principle of total abstinence is the only safeguard against the great 
social and religious evils that flow from the practice of wine-drinking. . . . 
There is scarcely a community to be found where the blighting influences of 
intemperance are not seen in families distressed and ruined, property squan- 
dered, character destroyed, and lives lost." 



■\V\L NNORLDS CV^RSL. 309 



From the " Encyclopedia Britannica," we learn that while Germany (including 
Alsace-Lorraine) made 1,000,000,000 gallons of wine and 857,000,000 gal- 
lons of beer, in the same year the Prussian provinces east of the Elbe, includ- 
ing Mecklenburg and Saxony, with a population of 19,000,000, produced 
72,000,000 gallons of spirits ; and the rest of Germany, with 24,000,000 peo- 
ple, produced 25,000,000 gallons. Of these spirits no appreciable quantity 
was exported. Here is a total average of 20. gallons of beer and 23/^ gallons 
of spirits per capita. 

While it is true that great good has been accomplished by thousands of noble 
workers in the ranks of the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 
the Young Men's Christian Association, the Good Templars, the American 
Health and Temperance Association, and other organizations laboring to 
protect the innocent and uplift the fallen ; yet the statistics here given show 
that much remains to be accomplished. The most direct and deadly blow 
that can be given this monster evil is to PROHIBIT instead of license its ex- 
istence. 



->*#•<< 



SONG OF THE RYE. 

WAS made to be eaten. 

And not to be drank ; 
To be threshed in a barn, 

Not soaked in a tank, 
I come as a blessing 

When put through a mill ; 
As a blight and a curse 

When run through a still. 

Make me up into loaves, 

And your children are fed 
But if into drink, 

I'll starve them instead. 
In bread I'm a servant. 

The eater shall rule ; 
In drink I am master, 

The drinker a fool. 








T'be Gospel in the 0ld T'estament. 

N what condition, morally, did the sin of Adam place the 
human family ? 

" Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin : 
and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5:12. 

How does the offer of salvation come to all ? 

Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condem- 
nation : even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men 
unto justification of life." Verse 18. 

3. Is there any other way to obtain salvation? 

'•'■Neither is there salvatio7t in any other; for there is none other name under 
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. 

4. Through what are men saved ? 

" For by grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves : it is the 
gift of God." Eph. 2 :8. 

5. Will any of the patriarchs be saved ? 

"Ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the king- 
dom of God." Luke 13 : 28. These, then, will be saved through faith. 

6. What did the prophets teach concerning justification through 

faith ? 

" The just shall live by Jus faith.'''' Hab. 2 : 4. 

7. Through whom did the prophets teach should come the remission 

of sins ? 

" To hifn [Jesus of Nazareth. Verse 38] give all the prophets witness, that 
through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." 
Acts 10 : 43, 
[310] 



■\V\L GOSPLV. \H ^WL 0V.\) ^LS^^^^U1. 311 

8. Did Abraham possess this faith ? 

^^ Your father Ad ra/iam rejoiced to see my day : and he saw it, and was glad." 
John 8 : 56. 

9. How did Abraham have a view of Christ's day ? 

"And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, 
preached before the gospel unto Abraham.'''' Gal. 3 : 8. Gospel. — " Glad tid- 
ings ; especially, the good news concerning Christ and his salvation." — Web- 
ster. 

10. Whose children are all that believe? 

"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of 
Abraham.'''' Verse 7. 

11. What did faith in Christ enable Moses to do? 

"By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of 
Pharaoh's daughter ; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of 
God, than so enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ; esteeming the reproach 
of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.'''' Heb. 1 1 : 24-26. 

12. From what source did the children of Israel draw spiritual life? 

"And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea ; and did all eat 
the same spiritual meat ; and did all drink the same spiritual drink : for they 
drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them : and that Rock was Christ.'''' 
I Cor. 10 : 2-4. 

13. Where must the gospel hope have been learned, before the New 

Testament was written ? 

" For had ye believed Moses, ye wottld have believed me ; for he wrote of me. But 
if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words ? " John 5 : 46, 47. 

14. Who inspired the Old Testament writers in their declarations? 

"Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who 
prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what 
manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify.''^ I Peter 
I : 10, II. 

15. From what did Christ preach the gospel to his disciples when on 

the way to Emmaus ? 

" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the 
Scriptures the things concerning himself." Luke 24 : 27. 

16. Who is both author and finisher of the plan of salvation ? 

" Looking unta Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith." Heb. 12 : 2. 



■>— :^-^- 




^OW are the two principal covenants of the Bible designated ? 

"In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath •made the first old. Now that 
which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away." Heb. 8 : 13. 

2. When and with whom was the old covenant made ? 

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with 
the house of Israel and with the house of Judah ; not according to the cove- 
nant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand 
to lead them out of the land of Egypt." Heb. 8:8, 9 ; Deut, 5 : 2, 3. 

3. What is the primary meaning of the word covenant ? 

"Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, and 
said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you ? And 
they covettanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.'''' Matt. 26 : 14, 15 ; 
Luke 22 : 5, 6. Covenant. — "A mutual agreement of two or more persons 
or parties." — Webster. 
Note. — The two covenants are arrangements by means of which God has de- 
signed to separate his people from the world of the ungodly, to pardon them 
for sin, to restore them to his favor, and to give them a home in his kingdom. 
The old covenant was in force from Moses to Christ, and at his death on the 
cross, gave place to the new, which continues until the end of time. Heb. 8 : 
13; 9:17- 

4. When entering into the covenant, or agreement, with Israel, what 

proposition did the Lord make ? 

" Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye 
shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people; for all the earth is 
mine." Ex. 19 : 5. 

5. What answer did the people return ? 

"And all the people answered together, and said. All that the Lord hath spoken 
ive will do.'''' Verse 8. When giving this decision, the people had not yet 
heard the words of God, which they agreed to obey. 
[312I 



1V\L TNNO eONJLUfvU^S. 313 

6. After hearing the ten commandments from Sinai (Ex. 20 : 1-17), 
what did the Israelites say to Moses? 

" And all the people answered with one voice, and said, AH the ivords luJiich the 
Lord HATH said will tve do.^'' Ex. 24 : 3. 

,7. After Moses had written the contract in full in a book, and read 
it to them, what did they then agree to do ? 

" And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people ; 
and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient.'''' 
Verse 7. 

8. Under this covenant, on what condition was God's blessing to be 

given to the people ? 

"If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a pecul- 
iar treasure unto me." Ex. 19 : 5. 

9. What is that which the Lord here calls his covenant ? 

" And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, 
even ten commandments.'''' Deut. 4 : 13. 

10. Are the ten commandments a "mutual agreement," such as the 

Lord made with Israel, or are they a "commanded" covenant? 

"He hath remembered his covenant forever, the word which he commanded to a 
thousand generations.'''' Ps. 105:8; 111:9. 
Note. — That the distinction between the law of God and the covenant he made 
with Israel may be plainly seen, the following statements, with their proof 
texts, are furnished : — 

The old covenant was written by Moses in a book, and sealed with blood 
(Ex. 24 :4-8 ; Heb. 9 : 18-20) ; the law of God was written by the finger of 
God on tables of stone, and these were never sprinkled with blood (Ex. 31 : 
18 ; 32 : 16) ; the old covenant was faulty (Heb. 8:7); the law of God was 
perfect (Ps. 19:7); the old covenant has passed away (Heb. 8:13) ; the law 
of God in all its parts is still binding, and is the rule by which the characters 
of men will be tested in the judgment. James 2 : 10-12. 

11. After the covenant had been ratified with blood, what was Moses 

commanded to do? 

"And the Lord said unto Moses, Come tip to me into the mount, and be there; 
and L will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I 
have written ; that thou mayest teach thejn.'''' Ex. 24 : 12. 

12. With whom was the new covenant made? 

"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant xvith 
the house of Lsrael and zuith the house of Judah.'''' Heb. 8 : 8. This new 
covenant was made with Israel, not with the Gentiles. 

13. Who is the mediator of the new covenant? 

" And to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant." Heb. 12 : 24. 



^^^ T^WO COVE^NAiv^^ 



OLD 
COVENANT. 



NEW 
COVENANT. 



"THE BODY IS OF CHRIST.' 



iiiiii iii i iiii n iii ii i iiiii i i i iiiii i i i ii i i i iiii i i i iii i iii ii i i iiiii ffffm 



GOD, 
CHRIST, ANGELS, 

HOLY SPIRIT, 
LAW, SABBATH, 

SIN, DEATH, 
GRACE, JUDGMENT, 

RESURRECTION, 
HEAVEN, GOSPEL, 
FAITH, 

REPENTANCE, 

BAPTISE! 

THE 



I '^. 



m\ 



~ 'it- 



-^/o 



i^^ 






OF 
LORD'S 



llllllllHll MX 



GOD, 

CHRIST, ANGELS, 

HOLY SPIRIT, 
LAW, SABBATH, 

SIN, DEATH, 
GRACE, JUDGMENT. 

RESURRECTION, 
HEAVEN, GOSPEL, 

FAITH, 
REPENTANCE, 
BELIEVERS, 
SUPPER. 



[314] 



^V\L 1^0 CO^^HKU"\S. 315 

14. What does Christ say of the law under the new covenant? 

" And ii is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." 
Luke 16 : 17 ; Matt. 5 : 17-19. 

15. Is obedience to the ten commandments necessary under the new 

covenant ? 

"If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." Matt. 19:17; Rev. 
22 : 14. 

16. Where is the law of God written under the new covenant? 

"But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel : After 
those days, saith the Lord, / will put my law in their inward parts, and 
write it in their hearts.'''' Jer. 31 : 33 ; Heb. 8 : 10. 
Note. — The diagram herewith presented is designed to show the relation be- 
tween the old covenant and the new ; to point out how much of that con- 
tained in the old covenant passes to, and becomes a part of, the new covenant ; 
and to make clear what part of the obligations of the old covenant ceased 
when that covenant was superseded by the new. Letting the cross represent 
the dividing line between the two covenants, it will be noticed that on that 
side bearing the words "old covenant," is found a list of fundamental doc- 
trines taught and enforced under that covenant ; and the same list is repeated 
on the opposite side of the cross. This is because the same God ruled under 
the old covenant that rules under the new. Christ also was the leader of God's 
people then, as much as he is now, in the new covenant. For proof, compare 
Ex. 23 : 20-22 with I Cor. 10 : 1-4, especially the last verse. Angels are min- 
istering spirits under the new covenant, as truly as they were under the old. 
Ps. 34 : 7 ; Heb. i : 14. The Holy Spirit was in the hearts of men in the old 
dispensation, just the same as now. Ps. 51 : 11 ; Isa. 63 : 9, 10. The law of 
God spoken from Sinai, is obligatory on Christians. Christ said: "Think 
not that I am come to destroy the law." Matt. 5 : 17. Paul wrote : "We 
know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under 
the law ; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the zuorld may become 
guilty before God [margin, stcbject to the judgment of God^.''^ Rom. 3 : 19. 
The Sabbath, too, kept before the cross, by virtue of that law, is binding on 
mankind under the new covenant, as was witnessed by Christ and the apos- 
tles. See Luke 4:16; i John 2:6; Matt. 24 : 20. Death was the result of 
sin in the old dispensation, as well as in the new. Rom. 5 : 12. The doc- 
trines of grace, judgment, the resurrection, and heaven, were all taught before 
the cross, as well as since Christ died for the world. The gospel was preached 
to Abraham, and was taught to Moses. Gal. 3:8; Heb. 4:1, 2. Faith and 
repentance were taught before the cross. Matt. 3 :8-ii. Before his death, 
Jesus' disciples baptized multitudes (John 4:1), and the Lord's Supper was 
instituted by the Saviour himself the night before he died. Luke 22 : 14-20. 
This was absolutely necessary, for had he left any of these ordinances to be 
instituted after his blood was spilled, by which the new covenant was ratified 
and sealed, they could have been no part of the new covenant. Those things 
which were abolished at the cross, are shown in the diagram by inserting them 
in the cross, above the light waved line. Why these were set aside is fully 
explained in the reading "What Was Abolished by Christ ? " p. 193. 



316 ^\^L^ R^N\)\HG.S. 



17. How is this work accomplished ? 

"Written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God ; not in tables of 
stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart." 2 Cor. 3 : 3. 

18. We have learned that the new covenant was made with the house 

of Israel. To whom did Jesus say he was sent ? 

But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of 
Israel.'"' Matt. 15 124. 

19. Who were to have the first benefits of the gospel? 

' ' For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ ; for it is the power of God unto 
salvation to every one that believeth ; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek." 
Rom. I : 16. 

20. To whom did Christ send his disciples ? 

" Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye 
not ; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.'''' Matt. 10 : 5, 6. 

21. Who were to be redeemed by the death of Christ? 

"And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of 
death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testa- 
ment, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." 
Heb. 9 : 15 ; Gal. 4 : 4, 5. 
Note. — It is evident from the last two texts quoted, that Christ died, not only 
for those who should live afterward, but also for those who had already lived 
and died in faith, under the old covenant. There can be but ONE plan of 
salvation, as there has been but ONE sacrifice by which we may be saved. 
Acts 4 : 12. 

22. What does the apostle say pertained to the Israelites ? 

"Who are Israelites ; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the cov- 
enants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises." 
Rom. 9 : 4. 
Note. — Everything was theirs until they, like Esau, sold it for naught, — ruth- 
lessly cast it from them. Then God sought another people, upon whom he 
might bestow the same blessings that were rejected by the house of Israel. 
They gave up the new covenant made with them, by rejecting Christ. Others 
were then permitted to step in and take their place, and to receive the reward 
that might have been theirs. 

23. What relation do Gentiles naturally sustain to the new covenant? 

"Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, . . . 
that at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth 
of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and 
zuithout God in the world.'''' Eph. 2 : 11, 12. 
Note. — To boast of being a Gentile, is but to say that one is out of Christ, 
having no hope, and without God in the world. In order to receive the ben- 
efits and blessings of the new covenant, one must unite himself to the very 
covenant made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. See Heb. 



8:8-10. 



24. In what way do Gentiles participate in the benefits of the new 

covenant ? 
"And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive-tree, 
wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness 
of the olive-tree ; boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou 
bearest not the root, but the root thee. Thou wilt say then, The branches 
were broken off, that I might be grafted in. Well ; because of unbelief they 
were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear." 
Rom. II : 17-20. 

25. Is the grafting process here mentioned, according to nature? 

"Thou wert cut out of the olive-tree, which is wild by nature, and wert grafted 
contrary to nature into a good olive-tree." Verse 24. 
Note. — In natural grafting, good scions are put into a poor tree, to procure 
better fruit, as the fruit borne by the scions will be that of the tree out of 
which they were taken, and not of the tree into which they are grafted. In 
the process mentioned by the apostle, which is "contrary to nature," it will 
be noticed that wild olive scions are grafted into a good, or tame, olive-tree, 
that, partaking of the fatness of the root, they may bear good fruit, the same 
as the tree" itself into which they are grafted. 

26. What gave effect to the new covenant ? 

" For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the tes- 
tator. For a testament is -/force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no 
strength at all while the testator liveth. " Heb. 9 : 16, 17. Covenant and tes- 
tament have the same signification, and are used interchangeably in the Bible. 

27. After the covenant was ratified, or confirmed, by the blood of 

Christ, how much could it be changed ? 

"Brethren, I speak after the manner of men. Though it be but a man's covenant, 
yet if it be confirmed^ no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto.'''' Gal. 3:15. 
Note. — Then just as Christ left the new covenant at his death, so it must 
remain until his work for man is finished. No commandment can, after the 
death of the testator, be changed in the least degree. Understanding this, the 
Saviour left nothing to be added to the covenant after his death, not even the 
Lord's Supper. That was the last ordinance instituted by him, before he died, 
and his blood sealed it into the new covenant ; otherwise it could not have 
been one of the ordinances of the church to-day. It is the same with the 
Sabbath ; if it was not changed from the seventh day before Christ's death, 
it must remain a part of the new covenant, and as such must be binding 
upon Christians. 

28. When we partake of the bread and wine, to what do we pledge 

ourselves ? — To be true to our covenant relation with God. 

" And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave 
it to the disciples, and said. Take, eat ; this is my body. And he took the 
cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying. Drink ye all of it ; for this 
is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of 
sins." Matt. 26:26-28. 




I^ost T'ime, 



|N what day of the week did Christ rise from the dead? 

"Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared 
first to Mary Magdalene." Mark i6 : 9. 

What is the principal reason given for the observance of Sunday ? 
That it is the day on which Christ rose from the dead. 

Sunday being the first day of the week (see Webster's definition 
of "" Sunday "), what day comes just before it ? 

■ In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the M^eek." 
: Matt. 28 : I. 

Was the Sabbath a well-known institution in the days of Christ ? 

' And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up : and as his custom 
was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to 
read." Luke 4 : 16. 

Note. — Christ said that he was Lord of the Sabbath. Mark 2 : 28. As such, 
he knew which day of the week was the Sabbath ; and had the Jews at that 
time lost the day, he would have informed them. But instead of saying any- 
thing of that kind, he observed the same day they did, and said it was lawful 
(according to the law) to do well on that day. Matt. 12 : 12. 

Was the Sabbath which Jesus and the Jews observed the same as 
that given on Sinai ? 

' And they' returned, and prepared spices and ointments ; and rested t/ie Sabbath 
day according to the commandment.'''' Luke 23 : 56. 

What day was there commanded to be kept ? 
' But the seventh day is Sabbath of the Lord thy God." Ex. 20 : 10. 

For what reason was the seventh day commanded to be observed ? 
[318] 



LOSl ^\VI\^. 319 



' For'in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, 
and rested the seventh day ; wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and 
hallowed it.'" Ex. 20 : ii ; Gen. 2 : 1-3. 
Note. — "Let it sufiBce, however, in a matter on which there is so general an 
agreement, to present the words of four eminent authors : ' The septenary ar- 
rangement of the days,' says Scaliger, ' was in use among the Orientals from 
the remotest antiquity.' 'We have reason to believe,' observes President De 
Goguet, ' that the institution of that short period of seven days, called a week, 
was the first step taken by mankind [in harmony with the plan of Jehovah] 
in dividing and measuring their time. We find, from time immemorial, the 
use of this period among all nations, without any variation in the form of it. 
The Israelites, Assyrians, Egyptians, Indians, Arabians, and, in a word, all 
the nations of the East, have in all ages made use of a week, consisting of 
seven days. We find the same custom among the ancient Romans, Gauls, 
Britons, Germans, the nations of the North, and of America.' According to 
Laplace, ' the week is perhaps the most ancient and incontestable monument 
of human knowledge.' It would appear that the Chinese, who have now no 
Sabbath, at one time honored the seventh day of the week." — Giljillan on 
the Sabbath, pp. 364, j6^. 

Did the children of Israel observe the Sabbath after leaving Egypt, 
before it was spoken on Sinai ? 

■ And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two 
omers for one man." " And they laid it up till the morning, as Moses bade : 
and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein. And Moses said, 
Eat that to-day ; for to-day is a Sabbath unto the Lord : to-day ye shall not 
find it- in the field. Six days ye shall gather it ; but on the seventh day, which 
is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none.'''' Ex. 16 : 22, 24-26. 

Note. — The manna commenced to fall more than a month before the law was 
spoken on Sinai. The Sabbath was known and observed even then ; and 
when God withheld the manna on the day he designated as the Sabbath, it 
was the same day of which Israel before had a knowledge. 

What was to happen to the Jewish nation after the destruction of 
Jerusalem ? 

= And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the 
desolation thereof is nigh.'''' " And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, 
and shall be led away captive into all nations ; and Jertisale77i shall be trodden 
down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled." Luke 21 : 
20, 24. 

Scattered as they are in all lands and under varied circumstances, 

what day are they all united in observing as the Sabbath ? 
The Sabbath of the Jews, or Saturday. See Webster, on " Sabbath." 
Note, — "There is no century in authentic history not covered by Jewish tradi- 
tion. Hence, one might just as well argue that Sunday is not the first day of the 
week, or the third after the crucifixion, or the Hebrew Bible is not the litera- 
ture of the ancient Jews, or any other fact or facts, as to maintain that the 
Jews forgot the order of the days, when the Sabbath was so holy to them. 



320 ^\^\.l. RL^\)\UGS. 



Anybody arguing against a fact of perception or tradition (this is the rule), 
has to prove it, viz., that the said perception or tradition is false. In this case, 
he who maintains it must prove when and where the Jews forgot the order of 
the days, or computation of time. 

" The Jews, having no names of days, called them ist, 2d, etc., to Sab- 
bath. If they had forgotten to count in any one locality where they were dis- 
persed since 800 B. C, some would have done it in another locality, and a dis- 
pute among themselves about the right Sabbath must have occurred. But 
history chronicles no such dissension. From Ezra to 70 a. c, the body, 
called first, 'The Great Synagogue,' and afterward, 'The Sanhedrim,' ex- 
isted in Jerusalem ; and then to 300 A. c, at Jamania, Ushah, or Tiberias. 
This body announced annually, in regular succession, the calendar to all Jews 
in the world. Then followed in authority the Babylonian academy, from 200 
to 1000 A. c. again in regular succession. When could they have forgotten 
the Sabbath? Those persons maintain an absurdity." — Isaac M. Wise, 
Jewish Rabbi, of Cincinnati, Ohio. 

11. How did the change from Old Style to New Style affect the Sab- 

bath ? — In no way whatever. 

" Many have rested their objection on the change from Old to New Style ; but 
they have not done it understandingly. No loss of time occurred in any re- 
spect by the change of style. The facts in brief are these : The Julian year 
was found to be too long, and the seasons were becoming disarranged. A 
new calendar was adopted in 1582, and the year was thrown back by calling 
the fifth day of October, as it was then reckoned, the fifteenth. But as the 
day of the month has no necessary connection with the day of the week, no 
change was made in the week. This is proved by the fact that the New 
Style was adopted in Rome 169 years before it was adopted in England, but 
the two nations were, in the meantime, in agreement on the days of the week. 
It is further proved by the fact that Russia never adopted the New Style, but 
still reckons by the Old, and yet she agrees with the other nations on the 
reckoning of the days of the week." — J. H. Waggoner, in Lost Time. 

12. What does the science of astronomy teach regarding the impos- 

sibility of loss of time? 

It shows that if time had been lost, it would be impossible to calculate before- 
hand the exact movements of the heavenly bodies. 

Notes. — " Back computations of eclipses of the sun give the year right. Since 
Ptolemaeus [about 500 B. c] there cannot be one day lost, because his equi- 
noctiums and those composed now back to that time agree. A change or loss 
of one minute would be found out in this way." — Dr. F. Ka77ipf, Astronomer 
of the U. S. Corps of Engineers, in iSjj. 

Showing the accuracy with which time is marked by the heavenly bodies, S. C. 
Robinson, in The Christian, relates the following interesting experience : 
" Once as I entered the observatory at Harvard College, at the close of day, 
a friend who had led me there asked if I might be shown the new instru- 
ment that had just been introduced. The Professor replied courteously, 
' Yes ; I think there may be time enough yet for him to see a star, if you will 
find one.' My companion 'found one ' by looking in a worn book of astro- 



^OS^ "\\\^^. 321 



nomical tables lying on the desk, and replied quietly, ' There is one at 5 : 20.' 
So in a hurried instant the covering was stripped off from the great brass 
tube, and prone upon his back, under the eye-piece, lay the enthusiastic Pro- 
fessor. While my friend stood by, with what seemed a tack hammer in his 
hand, I noticed that he kept his eye on a tall chronometer clock near us. 
Suddenly two sounds broke the impressive stillness ; we had been waiting for 
the star. One was the word 'there,' spoken by the Professor, the other was 
the tap of the hammer on the stone top of the table by my companion. 
Both occurred at the same instant, the same particle of the instant ; they were 
positively simultaneous. But the man who spoke the word could not see the 
clock ; he was looking at the star that came swinging along till it touched the 
spider-web line in his instrument : and the other man who struck the hammer 
stroke could not see the star ; he was looking at the second hand on the dial- 
plate. When the index in its simplicity of regular duty marked twenty min- 
utes after five, there fell the click on the stone ; and then, too, there came on 
in the heavens, millions of miles away, one of God's stars, having no speech, 
but rolling in on time, as he bade it ages ago. 

" Then I was invited to look in, and see the world of light and beauty as 
it swept by the next fiber in the tube. But afterward I went curiously to the 
book, and found that it had been published ten years before, and that its cal- 
culations ran far away into the future, and that it had been based on calcula- 
tions 1,000 years old. And God's fidelity to the covenant of nature, here 
now almost 3,000 years after David had made the nineteenth Psalm, had 
brought the glorious creature of the sky into the field of Harvard College's 
instrument just as the patient clock reached the second needed for the truth of 
the ancient prediction. Need I say that these two professors almost won- 
dered — so used to such things were they — at the awe-struck devotion, the 
hushed reverence with which I left the room? " 
Hill's Scientific or Perpetual Calendar shows the day of the week of any given 
date, in both Old and New Style, for twenty centuries after Christ. It gives 
the following in its explanation of the method of ascertaining the day by both 
styles : "For instancCj Washington was born Feb. 11, Old Style, or Feb. 22, 
New Style, 1 732. It being a leap year, the Dominical letter for February Old 
Style was B, and for New Style it was F. The table being entered with the 
former letter shows the nth to be Friday, and being entered with the latter, 
shows the 22d to be on the same day of the week." No one should be so 
ignorant as to stumble over a fact so plain as this. The days of the week 
cannot be lost. 





iMIf 



Hxm \^Q\x\^aV\i^?> \\\j.^-\ii\^^ \ii\\\v \\v^ SDJxxva Ta\x\d." 




^be Qi^ace of ^umilitjf. 



OW does God look upon pride ? 

"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil : pride, and ajn'ogancy, and the 
evil way, aitd the froiuard 7nouth, do I hate.'' ^ Prov. 8 : 13. 

2. How does pride in the "heart operate on the possessor? 

' The pride of thine heart hath deceived thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the 
rock, whose habitation is high : that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me 
down to the ground ? " Obadiah 3. ^ 

In what way were the proud Pharisees deceived ? 

' And he said unto them, Ye are they tohiich justify yourselves before men ; hut 
God knozveth your hearts : for that which is highly esteemed among men is 
abomination in the sight of God." Luke 16 : 15. 

What does the Saviour say of those who exalt themselves through 
their pride of heart ? 

' For whosoever exalteth himself jr/^a// ^^ cr^^^i-i?^// and he that humbleth himself 
shall be exalted." Luke 14 : 1 1. 

What did he say to those disciples of his whom he found disputing 
as to who should be greatest among them ? 

• And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire 
to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all." Mark 9 : 35. 

In what way did he illustrate true humility to his disciples ? 

' And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and 
said . . . Whosoever therefore shall htujible himself as this little child, the 
same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18 : 2-4. 

Notes. — Humility is "freedom from pride and arrogance ; lowliness of mind \ 
a modest estimate of one's own worth : a sense of one's own unworthiness 
through imperfection and sinfulness." '■'■Humility consists in rating our 
claims low, in being willing to waive our rights, and take a lower place than 
might be our due. It does not require of us to underrate ourselves. The 
hianility of our Saviour was perfect, and yet he had a true sense of his owa 
greatness. " — Webster. 
[322] 



"WAL G?.NGL OV V\V^^\U1^. 323 

"■ HwnHlty is like a tree, whose root, when it sets deepest in the earth, rises 
higher, and spreads fairer, and stands surer, and lasts longer, and every step 
of its descent is like a rib of iron." — Bishop Taylo7\ 

7. Among all those who profess to love the Lord, toward whom will 

he favorably look ? 

" To this man will I look, even to /^^;?^ that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and 
trembleth at my word." Isa. 66 : 2. 

8. With whom will the Lord dwell ? 

" I dwell in the high and holy place, with hitu also that is of a co7itrite and humble 
spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the con- 
trite ones." Isa. 57 : 15. 

9. While thus honoring the humble, what course will he take with 

the proud ? 

" But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but 
giveth, grace unto the humble." James 4:6. 
Note. — One probable reason why the Lord delights in a humble person is 
because this grace reveals the wisdom of its possessor (Prov. 11 :2), and the 
w^ise man says in another place that the Lord has no pleasure in fools. Eccl. 
5:4. In other words, the individual who has good sense enough to keep his 
place, and not make himself prominent, manifests a degree of modesty that 
marks him as one whom the Lord can trust, without fear of his becoming 
exalted through the favors granted. 

10. What will the Lord do for him who properly humbles himself? 

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt 
you in due tifjie.'''' I Peter 5:6, 

11. In the time of man's final exaltation (i Thess. 4 : 16, 17) what will 

befall the proud and lofty ? 

" For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, 
and upon everyone that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low.'" Isa. 
2 : 12. 

12. Who alone will then be exalted ? 

"And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall 
be made low ; and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.'''' Verse 17. 



r4^,*£^-. 



PRM NNUHOV)! C-LNS\UGl." 




4 



ImpoE^tance of PraifGr. 



^'"^N what i^laces would the apostle have men pray ? 

I will therefore that men pray everywhere, hfting up holy hands, without 
'^^ wrath and doubtinar. " i Tim. 2 : 8. 

What is the promise to those who ask and seek for the things they 
need? 



Every one that asketh receivetJi ; and he that seeketh findeth ; and to hi 
knocketh it shall be opened." Matt. 7 : 8. 



that 



How does the Saviour illustrate the willingness 



of Heaven to 
grant favors to those who ask ? 

Tf ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, hoio much 
more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask 
him ? " Verse ii. 

Why is it necessary to ask God for all these things? 

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the 
Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." 
James 1:17. 

Note. — From this text some may be led to question the utility of prayer, if the 
Father does not change. "Why, then," one may ask, "try to change his 
mind by our prayers ? " It is true that praying to God does not change his 
mind in the least ; that is not the design of prayer. It is the petitioner who 
is to be benefited by his prayer. God is ever ready to bestow on his children 
the blessings they need, when they place themselves in that relation to him 
where he can consistently favor them. His sending Christ to die for the 
world without any request from man, shows his willingness to help. He also 
says that he is not willing that any should perish. 2 Peter 3 : 9. Now, when 
any one feels his need of help to that extent that he is willing to acknowledge 
his sins, and his lost condition without God, then the Lord lets that individual 
have the blessing that had hung over him all his life, and that God was not 
only willing but anxious to give him. God's mind is not, therefore, changed 
in the least ; but the petitioner must be changed, otherwise the bestowal of 
blessings would serve to keep him away from God, and defeat the very object 
had in view in sending Christ to die for the world. The object, then, of 
prayer, is to cause the sinner to realize his needs, and to feel that he must 
perish unless they are supplied. This could not be so if one had all he needed 
without asking. • 

[324] 



\^A?0\\"\KUCL OV PRK^^R. 325 

5. In what way does God draw nigh to us ? 

'■^ Draw nigh to God, and he zuill draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sin- 
ners ; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded." James 4 : 8. That is, we 
ourselves must draw near to God, which consequently brings him that much 
nearer to us. God does not change his position until the sinner repents ; but 
as in the case of the returning prodigal, when God sees one coming to him, he 
encourages him to come still nearer by the bestowal of his blessing. 

6. How should one pray to God ? 

^^ I will pray zuith the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also." I Cor. 
14 : 15. One should always pray with fervor and devotion, and with an un- 
derstanding of his wants. This supposes meditation and examination of one's 
life. 

7. With what should the prayers of a suppliant be mingled ? 

"Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication zvith 
thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Phil. 4 : 6. 

8. Should one in public repeat certain forms to be heard by men ? 

" But when ye pray, tise not vain repetition, as the heathen do ; for they think that 
they shall be heard for their much speaking." Matt. 6 : 7. Rather, let him 
feel the need of the hour, and in fitting words plead earnestly for help. 

9. What must necessarily accompany one's petition, in order to 

please God ? 

'■'■But zvithout faith it is ijnpossible to please him ; for he that cometh to God must 
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." 
Heb. 11:6. 

10. How Strong must this faith be? 

" Therefore I say unto you. What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe 
that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11 : 24. That is, when 
one prays for that which he needs, he should trust God so implicitly that he 
has no doubt his petition has bee7i, in effect, answered ; and therefore he will 
have no more anxiety over the matter, but trust it wholly with God, as a case 
committed to him. 

11. When praying for forgiveness, how should one feel toward those 

who have in any way injured him ? 

" And when ye stand ^X'Ay'vix^, forgive, if ye have aught against any ; that your 
Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses." Verse 25. 

12. Does it make any difference whether or not this injunction is car- 

ried out ? 

" But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your 
trespasses." Verse 26. 

13. How should one do when in affliction ? 

••Is any among you afflicted ? let him pray." James 5 : 13. 



14. Should one pray by himself alone? 

"But thou,, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy 
door, pray to thy Father wdiich is in secret ; and thy Father which seeth in 
secret shall reward thee openly." Matt. 6:6. It need not necessarily be a 
literal closet. Any place of retirement, away from the sound of others, may 
be understood by the text — the field, the wood, or the mountain-side. 

15. To what places did our Saviour retire for secret devotion ? 

" And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went tip into a mountain apart to 
pray : and when the evening was come, he was there alone." Matt. 14 : 23. 

16. But if it should happen that we were thrown into the presence of 

those who ridicule prayer, or were forbidden to pray, should we 
give up our customary devotion ? 

" Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; 
and his windows being opeji in his chamber toward Je^'usalem, he kneeled 
tipon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, 
as lie did aforetime.'''' Dan. 6 : 10. 

17. How many of Cornelius's family feared God and prayed to him? 

" A devout man, and one \)l\.2X feared God with all his house, which gave much alms 
to the people, and prayed to God alway." Acts 10 : 2. Undoubtedly, this 
entire family had prayers together every day, as the word alway is sometimes 
used in that sense. See Heb. 9:6. It is also probable that David assembled 
his family each day to worship. See Ps. 55 : 17. Here he says he will "cry 
aloud," which would not be likely if this were secret devotion. 

18. Did the apostolic believers have gatherings for prayer? 

" And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother 
of John, whose surname was Mark ; where many zuere gathered together pray- 
ing.'''' Acts 12 : 12. 

19. How often does the apostle exhort the church to pray? 

'■'• Praying ahvays with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit." Eph. 6 : 18. 

20. How does he express himself on this point elsewhere ? 
"Pray without ceasing." i Thess. 5 : 17. 

2 1. In a certain parable concerning an importunate widow who be- 
sought an unjust judge to assist her against her enemies, what 
reason did the judge give for finally heeding her petition ? 

" Though I fear not God, nor regard man ; yet because this widow troubleth me, I 
will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.'" Luke 18 : 4, 5. 

22. How does the Saviour apply the parable? 

" And the Lord said. Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge 
his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with 
them?" Verses 6, 7. 



328 \W^?OH^f\UGL OV PHM^R. 

Note. — The force of the parable is Seen in this : Here was a judge who feared 
neither God nor man, but would do the widow justice simply to preserve his 
own peace. Now if this petition could be gained by constant effort from one 
who had no love of justice, but did it for the sake of his own convenience, how 
much more will God, who is infinite in all his attributes, a lover of justice, and 
one who pleads the cause of the widow (Ps. 68 : 5), do justice to those who 
cry incessantly to him ? 

23. What does the Saviour conclude in answer to his own question on 

this point ? 
" I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." Luke 18 : 8, first part. 

24. But what question does the Saviour immediately ask, which shows 

he felt doubtful that such strong faith would exist when he 
is about to come ? 

"Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth ? " 
Verse 8, latter part. 

25. For what purpose was the parable employed ? 

" And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pi-ay, 
and not to faint. '^ Verse I. That is, they should never become weary or 
discouraged in asking God for the things needed. 



)RAYER is the soul's sincere desire, 
' Uttered or unexpressed ; 
The motion of a hidden fire 
That trembles in the breast. 

Prayer is the burden of a sigh. 

The falling of a tear. 
The upward glancing of an eye, 

When none but God is near. 

Prayer is the simplest form of speech 

That infant lips can try ; 
Prayer the sublimest strains that reach 

The Majesty on high. 





IVE the Bible definition of faith. 

[[ "Now faith is the substance [margin, ground, or confidence^ of things 
hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Heb. ii : I. 
Note. — True faith is based on evidence. A man can have no faith in a 
statement that does not carry with it some evidence of its truthfuhiess. This 
evidence may be in the reasonableness of the statement, or it may be based on 
the confidence had in the veracity of the one making the statement. Sometimes 
this is all the evidence that at first appears, yet it is safe enough when the in- 
tegrity of him who vouches for the statement, is untarnished. But evidence 
of some nature must be forthcoming to give a ground of belief. 

2. What is necessary in order to render acceptable service to God? 

" But without faith it is impossible to please him ; for he that cometh to God must 
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." 
Heb. II : 6. 



3. How may one know that God exists ? 

" The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his Jiandi- 
work.'''' Ps. 19 : I ; Rom. i : 19, 20. 

4. How may one have faith in him as a being who cares for man- 

kind ? 

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.'''' Rom. 
10 : 17. 

[329] 



330 ^\^VL HL[\^\HGvS. 



Note. — One's faith in what God will do for him must be circumscribed by what 
he learns from God's word concerning that point. No one can confidently look 
for that which God has never promised. To expect that God will do that which 
is desired is only presumption, unless a promise has been given to that effect, 
Faith is distinct from presumption. To have abiding confidence in a promise, 
one must have some evidence upon which to base that confidence, or faith ; 
but presumption may rest entirely on feeling, or desire. Feeling cannot there- 
fore be relied on in the matter of faith. Faith is a pure belief of, and a confid- 
ing trust in, the promises of God, even though one's feelings do not assent to it. 
This perfect trust enables one to surmount difficulties under the most trying cir- 
cumstances, even when the feelings are nearly crushed. Among many notable 
cases, that of Abraham in offering up Isaac at God's command, may be cited 
as one wherein his faith called him to do contrary to what his feelings would 
dictate. 

5. Are the promises of God of any value to those who do not believe 

them ? 

" I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that 
the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afteriuard de- 
stroyed tJieiii thai believed not.'''' Jude 5 ; Heb. 3 : 14. 

6. After believing in God and repenting of his sins, in whom must 

one believe in order to be saved ? 

" For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
helieveth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3 : 16. 

7. When one believes on the Son of God, what evidence does he 

have that his sins are forgiven ? 

"He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that 
believeth not God hath made him a liar ; because he believeth not the record 
that God gave of his son." l John 5 : 10. 

8. What is the nature of this witness ? 

" The Spirit itself beareth zuitness with otir spirit, that we are the children of 
God." Rom. 8 : 16. 

9. When one has this witness, what does it do for him ? 

" Therefore being justified by faith, zve have peace with God through our Lord 
Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1. 
Note. — It is plain from these texts that the evidence of one's acceptance with 
God, which is a feeling of peace or union with him, does not precede but fol- 
lotus faith in the promises of God. No matter what one's feelings are to start 
with, it is his duty, after fulfilling the conditions of his acceptance, to believe 
that God has forgiven his past wrongs ; and though he may not have a happy 
feeling immediately, he should still trust that God has fulfilled his agree- 
ment. 



SP\\1\HG^ VI\nV\. 331 



10. Upon what conditions has God promised the forgiveness of sin ? 

" But if zue zvalk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with 
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleansethus from all sin." "//" 
ive confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." i John i : 7, 9. 

11. Does the Bible warrant one in believing that he receives what he 

asks for, before he is conscious of possessing it ? 

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe 
that ye receive thejn, and ye shall have them." Mark 1 1 : 24. 

Note. — If one were owing a debt, the obligation of which he could not meet, 
and should in his anxiety concerning it, receive from a trusted friend, a prom- 
ise of the amount necessary to meet the obligation when it came due, the 
promise itself would bring peace of mind, even though no money were given 
him at the time of asking the favor. This is the principle on which one must 
learn to trust God, in order to have that peace that passeth all understand- 
ing. Phil. 4:6, 7. 

12. How may one learn to develop patience in waiting on God ? 

" My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations ; knowing this, 
that the trying of your faith worketh patience.'''' James I : 2, 3 ; I Peter i : 
3-9- 

13. When in affliction, what ought all to believe ? 

"And zve know that all things work together for good to them that love God." 
Rom. 8 : 28. 

14. AVhat kind of faith is that which is unaccompanied with works ? 

" For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith luithout ivorks is dead also.'''' 
James 2 : 26. 

15. If one knows that he is constantly disobeying God, can he have 

real living faith ? 

" Beloved, if our heart condemn ns not, then have zue confidence toward God. And 
whatsoever wo. ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, 
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." i John 3:21, 22. 

16. How much may one hope to receive, who asks with a doubtful 

mind ? 

" Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord." James I : 7. 

17. What was the cause of Peter's sinking after he had started to meet 

the Saviour on the stormy sea ? 

" And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto 
him, O thou of little faith, zoherefore didst thou doubt ?'' Matt. 14 : 31. 




L33-^J 



WHEREFORE DIDST THOU DOUBT? 



SM\HGx VNnV\. 333 



What may one constantly have, by growing into the fullness of 
faith? 

' Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may 
abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Rom. 15 : 13. 

Note. — Faith may be strengthened by daily exercise. It is not some great 
thing, done, once for all, that gives an individual faith ; but an every-day, 
simple, child-like trust in God, and an implicit obedience to his word. Some 
make it a more difficult matter than God would have them, because they try 
to embrace too much at one time. They take on the burdens of to-morrow 
or next week, when the Lord only supplies strength for to-day. When to- 
morrow comes, grapple with its duties, but not until it does come. All should 
remember the precious promise, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be." 
Deut. 33 : 25. 



^ 



liWAY, my unbelieving fear ! 
^ Fear shall in me no more have place : 
My Saviour doth not yet appear, 

He hides the brightness of his face ; 
But shall I therefore let him go. 

And basely to the tempter yield ? 
No, in the strength of Jesus, no ; 
I never will give up my shield. 

Although the vine its fruit deny. 

Although the olive yield no oil, 
The withering fig-trees droop ai>d die, 

The fields elude the tiller's toil, 
The empty stall no herd afford. 

And perish all the bleating race ; 
Yet I will triumph in the Lord, 

The God of my salvation praise. 

Barren although my soul remain, 

And not one bud of grace appear. 
No fruit of all my toil and pain. 

But sin and only sin is here ; 
Although my gifts and comforts lost. 

My blooming hopes cut off I see, 
Yet will I in my Saviour trust. 

And glory that he died for me. 




\L"\ ^\A\S VAV;^ ^^ \H \0\), YJVWCVA ^KS KLSO 




Uible Sanetifieation, 



^ 



bfAS God made known his will concernins; the condition of his 



^ 



people 



For this is the will of God, 



sanctification." I Thess. 



^ i v^^ ..iiio xo ^x.^ ..xxx ^^ ^s^^, even your sancnncation." i iness. 4:3. 

Sanctify. — "To make sacred or holy; to set apart to a holy or religious 
use; to consecrate by appropriate rites." Sanctification. — "The act of 
God's grace by which the affections of men are purified, or alienated from 
sin and the world and exalted to a supreme love to God." — Webster. 

Can man accomplish this work for himself ? 

• I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the 
same bringeth forth much fruit; for xvithozit me ye can do nothing.'''' John 
15 =5- 
Through what medium is this change wrought ? 

■ And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through 

the truth.''' John 17 : 19. 

In order to enjoy sanctification, what attitude must one assume 
toward the truth ? 

■ God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of 

the Spirit and belief of the truth.''' 2 Thess. 2 : 13. 

But is a simple acknowledgment of God's requirements enough 
to secure this desirable boon ? 

■ Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification 

of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkHng of the blood of Jesus Christ." 
I Peter i : 2. 
Note. — Though one cannot sanctify himself, yet it is certain that he must act 
some part in that work. He must connect with God, by. believing his truth 
(word), and obeying it. The Spirit of God will then, through that truth, 
sanctify, or set apart, the individual for the service of God. 

If one really becomes a branch of the Vine, what change will be 
wrought in him ? 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a itew creature : old things are passed 
away ; behold, all things are become new.'''' 2 Cor. 5:17. 

[334] 



^\^LL S^UC^\V\C^"T\OU. 335 

7. Then how much of the individual is affected by sanctification ? 

"And the very God of peace sanctify yoit wholly ; and I pray God your whole 
spirit and sotcl and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord 
Jesus Christ." I Thess. 5 : 23. 
Note. — It is evident from the use of the word spirit in similar instances in the 
New Testament {e. g., 1 Cor. 5:3; 4 : 21 ; Rom. 12 : 11 ; Matt. 5 : 3), that 
the apostle in this text refers to the mind, the seat of the affections. 

.8. Before one can enjoy this great honor, what must he have ? 

"The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom ; and before honor is hujiiil- 
ity.''^ Prov. 15 : 33. Humility. — " Lowliness of mind ; a modest estimate of 
one's own worth ; a sense of one's own unworthiness through imperfection and 
sinfulness." — Webster. 

9. When united to Christ, what is one's duty ? 

" If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ 
sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on 
things on the earth." Col. 3:1, 2. 

10. Besides humility, what other grace is necessary? 

" I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the 
vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness.'''' Eph. 
4:1,2. 

11. In all things, what should one's mind be like ? 

" Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Phil. 2 : 5. 

12. Then what response could be sincerely made ? 
"Not my will, but thine, be done." Luke 22 142. 

13. When in this attitude, what will God do for the petitioner ? 

" God heareth not sinners ; but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his 
zuill, him he heareth.'''' John 9:31. 

14. In what words does the apostle express the same sentiment? 

"And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because zue keep his commandj)ients., 
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." i John 3 : 22. By com- 
paring the last two texts we conclude that doing God's will is keeping his 
commandments. 

15. What will the Lord do for those who love him sufficiently to keep 

his words ? 

" If a man love me, he will keep my words ; and my Father will love him, and we 
will come unto him, and make our abode ivith him.'''' John 14 : 23. 

16. In what condition is one in whom Christ dwells ? 

" x\nd if Christ be in you, the body is deadh^zd^vno. of sin ; but the Spirit is life 
because of righteousness." Rom. 8 : 10. " Righteousness, as used in Scripture 
and theology, in which it chiefly occurs, is nearly equivalent to holiness, com- 



336 B\BL't. SKUCT\V\CKT\OH. 



prehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity of life to 
the divine law." — Webster. "All thy commandments are righteousness." 
Ps. 119: 172. " And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all 
these commandments before the Lord our God, as he hath commanded us." 
Deut. 6 : 25. 

17. How is this state of things brought about? 

"And be not conformed to this luorld ; but be ye transformed by the renezving of 
your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect 
will pf God." Rom. 12 : 2. 

18. Then what will one be able to do ? 

"And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus." 
€01.3:17. 

19. To what extent must our deeds be done with reference to God's 

glory ? 

"Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of 
God." I Cor. 10 : 31. 

20. Why. should one be so careful with his body ? 

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your 
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 
service." Rom. 12 : I. 

2 1. How much of self, in short, must one give up to become a true 
disciple of Christ? 

" So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsnketh not all that he hath, he can- 
not be my disciple." Luke 14:33. 

22. After forsaking all that one has of self, what must he accept, in 

order to learn of Christ ? 
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for I am meek and lowly in heart ; 
and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt. 1 1 : 29. 

23. How close ties is one expected to sever, if need be, to have this 

work done for him ? 

" He that \ov^\\\ father or mother more than me is not worthy of me ; and he that 
loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." Matt. 10 : 37. 

24. If one thus separates from the world to follow Christ, what will be 

the result ? 
"Remember the word that I said unto you. The servant is not greater than his 
lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." John 
15 : 20. 

25. But will this persecution separate us from Christ or his love ? 

"Fori am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, 
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor hight, nor depth, nor 
any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which 
is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8 : 38, 39. 




The G^^^istian jpj^i^moi^. 



^^i 




HAT power makes war upon the remnant church, prior to the 
second advent ? 

"And the dragon [Satan. Verse 9] was wroth with the woman, and 
went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the command- 
ments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12 : 17. 

2. What reward is promised to the overcomer? 

"To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the 
midst of the Paradise of God." Rev. 2 : 7, 17, 26 ; 3 : 5, 21. 

3. Through whom are we able to conquer? 

" Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors throtii^h Iiiin tluU loved tis.'"'' 
Rom. 8 :37. 

4. Who was the invisible leader of the army of Israel ? 

" Behold, there stood a man over against him with his sword drawn in his hand ; 
and Joshua went unto him, and said unto him. Act thou for us, or for our ad- 
versaries ? And he said. Nay ; but as captain of the host of the Lord am I 
now come." Joshua 5 : 13, 14 ; i Cor. 10 : 1-4, 

5. With what weapons is the Christian warfare conducted? 

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the 
pulling down of strongholds." 2 Cor. 10 : 4. 

<6. What are these weapons able to conquer ? 

"Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the 
knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience 
of Christ.'''' Verse 5. 

22 [337] 



338 lUL GV\R\S^\NH NR^OR. 

7. How much of this armor can the Christian afford to leave off? 

'■'■Put on the whole armoi- of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles. 
of the Devil." Eph. 6 : 11. 

8. What is included in the "wiles of the Devil " that one has to meet ? 
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against 

powers, against the riders of the darkness of this world, against spiritual' 
wickedness in high places." Verse 12. 

9. What are the first essentials of the needed armor ? 

" Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the- 
breastplate of righteousness.'''' Verse 14. 

10. What is the truth with which one's loins are to be girded ? 

" Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy zvord is truth.'" John 17 : 17. 

11. What is meant by having the loins girded ? 

" Wherefore gird up the loins of your juind.'''' I Peter 1:13. In other words,, 
have the mind enwrapped with the truth of God. 

12. What is the "righteousness " of which the breastplate is composed? 

" My tongue shall speak of thy word ; for all thy commandments are righteousness.'''' 
Ps. 119 : 172. 

13. With what are the feet to be shod? 

" And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.'" Eph. 6:15;. 
James 3 : 18. 

14. What piece of armor is next mentioned as necessary? 

" Above all, t-^Xdng the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all 
the fiery darts of the wicked." Eph. 6 : 16 ; i John 5:4; Heb. ii :6. 

15. What is the last and crowning piece of armor to be put on ? 

" And take the helmet of salvation.''^ Eph. 6:17. Or, as stated in another place- 
(I Thess. 5 : 8), the helmet is the Jiope of salvation. The helmet was wora 
to protect the head. So the hope of salvation will preserve the courage and 
thus aid in protecting the spiritual life of the Christian pilgrim, when beset by 
the enemy of righteousness. 

16. What sword is to be used by the soldier of Christ ? 
"The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Verse 17. 

17. Will there be those in the remnant church who will risk their lives- 

in the contest against the enemy ? 

" And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their tes- 
timony ; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Rev. 12 : 11. 

18. Will this commandment-keeping company be victorious under 

Christ, their leader ? 
" And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire ; and them that had gotten 
the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over 
the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.'" 
Rev. 15:2, 







Qangei^ of QoY)etousness, 




N what way has the Lord spoken of covetousness? 

" And he said unto them, Ta^e heed, and beware of covetousness ; for a 
man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he pos- 
sesseth." Luke 12:15. Covetous. — "Inordinately desirous; excessively 
eager to obtain and possess; avaricious." — Webster. 

\ 2. What showed this principle to be strong in the rich man who 
had already more than he knew how well to take care of ? 

" And he said, This will I do : I will pull down my barns, and build greater ; and 
there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, 
Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years : take thine ease, eat, 
drink, and be merry.'''' Verses 18, 19. 

3. But what did God say to him ? 

"But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee ; 
then whose shall those things be, which thott hast provided ? '''' Verse 20. 

4. What conclusion does the Saviour draw from this parable ? 

"So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." 
Verse 21. 

5. What does the apostle call covetousness? 

" Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth ; fornication, unclean- 
ness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idol- 
atry.'' Col. 3:5. 

6. What does he say the things here enumerated have brought upon 

mankind ? 

" For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience." 
Verse 6. 

7. What did Judas's covetousness lead him to do ? 

"And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him 
unto them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give 
him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him." 
Mark 14 : 10, II. 

[339] 




[34oJ 



JUDAS SELLING CHRIST. 



DF\HO^\\ OV C0\JL10V^SULSS. 341 

8. How does the Lord regard the covetous man ? 

" For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, loJioni 
the Lord abhorreth.'''' Ps. 10:3. 

9. Then can God trust such men to bear responsibilities in his work? 

" Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, 
men of truth, hating covetousness ; and place such over them, to be rulers of 
thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." Ex. 
18:21; I Tim. 3 : 2, 3. 

10. What is almost certain to follow the desire to be rich ? 

" But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into m.a.\-iy foolish 
and hurtful lusts, zuhich drown mert in destruction and perdition.'''' I Tim. 
6:9. 

11. Will covetousness be one of the specially prevalent sins of the last 

days? 

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall 
be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers." 
2 Tim. 3:1, 2. 

12. What will these selfish ones be doing for themselves ? 

" Your gold and silver is cankered ; and the rust of them shall be a witness against 
you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together 
for the last days.^'' James 5:3. 

13. What can one do to eradicate this evil plant from the human heart ? 

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor 
trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things 
to enjoy ; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, 
willing to communicate." i Tim. 6:17, 18. 

14. What effect does it have upon one to give of his means to help 

the cause of God ? 

" I have showed you these things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the 
weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is 
more blessed to give lha7i to receive.'''' Acts 20:35 ! Pi'ov. ll : 24, 25. 

15. To whom does the money we have belong? 

" The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts." Haggai 2 : 8. 

16. Men are simply stewards of God's treasures. Luke 16 : 1-8. As 

such, what does the Lord admonish us to do ? 

" And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteous- 
ness ; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations." 
Luke 16 : 9. That is, so use the mammon of this world that you will make 
friends of (with) it in heaven (God, Christ, and angels), and when you fail on 
earth, they (your friends in heaven) will receive you into everlasting habita- 
tions. 



342 \)NUO^H Ov CO^^^OViSU^SS. 

17. How does God regard the spirit of sacrifice? 

" I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, 
an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well pleasing to God. But 
my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ 
Jesus." Phil. 4 : 18, 19. 

18. Whom will Christ gather to himself when he comes ? 

" He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his 
people. Gather my saints together unto me ; those that have made a cove- 
nant with me by sacrifice.'''' Ps. 50 : 4, 5. 

19. Heaven gave its choicest Treasure to redeem US. i Peter i : 18, 19. 

Ought we not to partake of the same spirit if we are God's 
children ? 

" And if children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ ; if so he 
that ii)e suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together." Rom. 
8:17. 



eJyp IS a point I long to know, 
&/ Oft it causes anxious thought ; 
Do I love the Lord, or no ? 
Am I his, or am I not ? 

Could my heart so hard remain. 
Prayer a task and burden prove. 

Every trifle give me pain. 
If I knew a Saviour's love ? 

Yet I mourn my stubborn will. 
Find my sin a grief and thrall ; 

Should I grieve for what I feel. 
If I did not love at all ? 

Could I joy with saints to meet. 
Choose the ways I once abhorred. 

Find at times the promise sweet, 
If I did not love the Lord ? 

Lord, decide the doubtful case, 
Thou who art thy people's Sun ; 

Shine upon thy work of grace. 
If it be indeed begun. 




My faith looks up to thee, 
Thou Lamb of Calvary, 

Saviour divine ! 
Now hear me while I pray. 
Take all my guilt away, 
O, let me from this day 

Be wholly thine ! 




Justification h\f faith. 



'CCORDING to God's standard of judgment, how many 
can be justified ? 

"And enter not into judgment with thy servant ; for in thy sight 
shall no man living be justified.'''' Ps. 143 : 2. Justify. — " To prove 
or show to be just, or conformable to law, right, justice, propriety, or 
duty; to defend or maintain; to vindicate as right; to warrant." "2. To 
pronounce free from guilt or blame ; to absolve ; to clear." — Webster. 

How may one become justified? 

' By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many ; for he shall bear 
their iniquities.'''' Isa. 53 : II. 

By whom and by what are men justified ? 

For all have sinned, and come sliort of the glory of God, being justified freely by 
his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." Rom. 3 : 23, 24. 

What can a righteous law do toward justifying the sinner ? 

Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight; 
for by the law is the knowledge of sin." Rom. 3 : 20. 

Are there any righteous in the world ? 
There is none righteous, no, not one." Verse 10. 

Can the 2^/zrighteous be saved ? 

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ?''^ 
I Cor. 6 : 9. 

Through whose righteousness is remission of sins obtained ? 

Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 
whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to de- 
clare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the for- 
bearance of God." Rom. 3 : 24, 25. 

[343] 



34^ ^\^V.^ RL[\^\UGS. 



8. For what was Christ made sin ? 

" For he hath made him to be sin for us, M^ho knew no sin ; that we might be made- 
the righteousness of God in him.'''' 2 Cor. 5:21. 

9. Then what may we call the Saviour ? 

"And this is his name whereby he shall be called, The Lord Our Righteous- 
nessy Jer. 23 : 6. 

10. On what condition may we obtain this righteousness and justifica- 

tion ? 

"To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness ; that he might be just, and the 
justifier of him zvhich believeth iti Jesus. ''' Rom. 3 : 26. 

11. Who may obtain this imputed righteousness ? 

" Even the righteousness of 6^^^^ which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon 
all thei7i that believe ; for there is no difference." Verse 22. 

12. Sin is the transgression of God's law (i John 3 : 4), and by this law 

is the knowledge of sin. Rom. 3 : 20. Can one, while persist- 
ing in sin, expect justification ? 

" But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners,. 
is therefore Christ the minister of sin ? God forbid.'''' Gal. 2:17. 

13. In order to have one's sins forgiven, and his unrighteousness 

cleansed away, what is necessary ? 

" If we confess our siits, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse 
us from all unrighteousness." l John l : 9. 

14. But suppose one hears a message from the Lord, and does not see 

any necessity of accepting it ; what does he try to do ? 

"And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things : a?id they 
derided him. And he said unto them. Ye are they which justify yotirselves 
before men ; but God knoweth your hearts." Luke 16 : 14, 15. 

15. What effect does faith in Christ have upon the law? 

"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid : yea, we estab- 
lish the law.'''' Rom. 3:31; 8 : 3, 4. 

16. What is faith? 

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.'''' 
Heb. II : I. In other words, faith is that which believes just what God says- 
(though we may not understand the reason for it), and acts upon it, regardless 
of the. feelings or preferences. 

17. When one does this, and is in perfect accord with all of God's 

commandments, what may he then have ? 

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Je- 
sus Christ." Rom. 5:1. 



i8. In what way may we hold our justification and fellowship with 
God? 

'■'■^vX if 7ve walk in the light as lie is in the light, we have fellowship one with 
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 
I John I : 7. 

Note. — Not only is fellowship with our brethren here implied, but, as in- 
timated in previous verses, with God and with Christ. 

" There is evidently an allusion to verse 3, and as there fellowship with 
God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ is expressed, so here it lies in the 
background, but need not be supplied. De Wette's remark is most true ; 
Christian communion is then only real, when it is communion with God." — 
Dean Alford. 

19. How great will be the peace of mind enjoyed by those who have 

this experience ? 

"And the peace of God, which passetJi.all understanding, shall keep your hearts 
and minds through Christ Jesus." Phil. 4 : 7. 

20. What will be a prominent characteristic of those who >vait for the 

return of their Lord from heaven ? 

" For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now 
the just shall live by faith ; but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no 
pleasure in him." Heb. 10 : 37, 38. 

21. What will accompany the faith of Jesus ? 

" Here is the patience of the saints : here are they that keep the coinniandments of 
God."" Rev. 14 : 12. 



) ORD, I believe ; thy power I own ; 

Thy word I would obey ; 
I wander comfortless and lone. 

When from thy truth I stray. 

Lord, I believe ; but gloomy fears 
Sometimes bedim my sight ; 

I look to thee with prayers and tears, 
And cry for strength and light. 

Lord, I believe ; but oft, I know, 
My faith is cold and weak : 

My weakness strengthen, and bestow 
The confidence I seek. 

Lord, I believe ; and only thou 

Canst give my soul relief ; 
Lord, to thy truth my spirit bow ; 
"Help thou mine unbelief." 




[346 J 



*Mntreat Me not to Leave Thee.' 





Duties of Parents and Qbildren. 

HAT duty does God require of children ? 

" Honor thy father and thy mother." Ex. 20 : 12. 

2. How are parents instructed to teach their children? 

" And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart ; and 
thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when 
tJion siitest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou 
liest down, and when thou risest up." Deut. 6 : 6, 7. 

3. How does God regard those parents who enforce obedience ? 

"For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, 
and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment ; that 
the Lord may bring upon Abraham that zuhich he hath spoken of him.'''' 
Gen. 18 : I9. 

4. How should parents train their children ? 

"Train up [margin, catechise^ a child in the way he should go ; and when he is old, 
he will not depart from it." Prov. 22 : 6 ; Eph. 6 : 4. 

5. What encouragement have parents to correct their children? 

"Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest ; yea, lie shall give delight tinto thy 
soul.'''' Prov. 29 : 17 ; 22 : 15. 

6. What will result if correction is withheld ? 

"The rod and reproof give wisdom ; but a cJnld left to himself bringetJi his mother 
to shame.'''' Prov. 29 : 15. 

7. By proper correction what profit will come to the child? 

"Withhold not correction from the child ; for if thou beatest him with the rod, he 
shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his sottlfrom 
hell.'" Prov. 23 : 13, 1 4. 

[347] 



8. Is there danger of delaying correction too long ? 

" Chasten thy son while the^'e is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying." 
Prov. 19 : 18. 

9. Because a parent corrects his child, is it evidence that he does 

not love him ? 

" He that spareth his rod hateth his son ; but he that loveth him chasteneth him be- 
cimes.''^ Prov. 13 : 24. 

10. In correcting the child, what should the father guard against? 

"Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged." Col. 
3:21. That is, do not deal w'lih. them unreasonably or in anger. 

11. What consideration should the young ever show to the aged ? 

" IViou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honor the face of the old man, and 
fear thy God ; I am the Lord." Lev. 19 : 32. 

12. Is the Lord pleased with children who obey their parents ? 

" Children, obey your parents in all things ; for this is zvell pleasing unto the Lord^ 
Col. 3 : 20. 

13. How long does the command to honor parents bind sons and 

daughters ? 

" Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother zuhen she is 
old.'''' Prov. 23 : 22. 

14. What is to be one of the prominent sins of the last days ? 

"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blas- 
phemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." 2 Tim. 3 : 2. 




''i''i I'i'i v"i"|i''"'' vHVTiirrtrrTw^ 





Have pity on them, for their life 

Is full of grief and care; 
You do not know one half the woes 

The very poor must bear ; 
You do not see the silent tears 

By many a mother shed, 
As childhood offers up the prayer — 

" Give us our daily bread." 



The Pooi^, and 0ur DutjT t3v\?ai^d T^bem. 

OW long will the church have poor people in its midst ? 

" P'or ye have the poor always with you." Matt. 26 : ll. 

2. What ought one to do for the poor, and how often ? 

' ' For ye have the poor with you always, and zvhensoever ye will ye ?nay do t/ie??i 
good.''^ Mark 14 : 7. 

3. What promises are made to those who consider the poor ? 

" Blessed is he that considereth the poor : the Lord will deliver him in ti?7te of 
trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive ; and he shall be 
blessed upon the earth : and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his 
enemies. The Lord will- strengthen Jiim iipon the bed of languishing : thou 
wilt make all his bed in his sickness." Ps. 41 : 1-3. 

4. When one gives to the poor, how does the Lord consider the act ? 

" He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord ; and that which he hath 
given will he pay him again.'''' Prov. 19 : 17. 

5. Will the Lord bear in mind his promise to repay these acts of 

kindness ? 

" For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have 
showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do 
minister." Heb. 6 : 10. 

6. If one turns a deaf ear to the pressing cry of the worthy poor, how 

will the Lord regard him ? 

" Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall 
not be heard.'''' Prov. 21 : 13. 

7. Who are specially mentioned as those who should be cared for? 

"Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, fudge the fatherless. 



plead for the widow.'''' Isa. 1:17. 



[349] 



850 "WAL POOR, NU\) 0V]\\ DV^IX 1 OV^ NP.\) "IW^^. 

8. How is such work designated in the New Testament ? 

" Pure religion a7id undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the father- 
less and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the 
\A'orld." James I : 27. 

9. What kind of a fast would God have his people hold ? 

" Is not this the fast that I have chosen? . . , Is it not to deal thy bread to the 
hungry, and that thou bring the poor that are cast out to thy house ? when 
thou seest the naked, that thou cover hiui ; and that thou hide not thyself from 
thine own flesh ? " Isa. 58 : 6, 7. 

10. What promise is for those who do this work? 

"Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall aitswer ; thou shalt cry, and he shall 
say. Here I am.'''' Verse 9. 

11. Will such have darkness and discouragements ? 

' ' And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul ; then 
shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday.'''' 
Verse 10. 

12. And what may he be sure of? 

" And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and 
make fat thy bones : and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a 
spring of water, whose waters fail not." Verse 11. 

13. In view of the promises to those who carry out these things, whose 

example ought all to follow? 

" I was a father to the poor ; and the cause xohich I kne^v not I searched out.'''' Job 
29 : 16. 

14. What did the Saviour enjoin upon the rich young man, that he 

might have treasure in heaven ? 

"Jesus said unto him. If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give 
to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven ; and come and follow 
me." Matt. 19 : 21. 

15. What will the Saviour say to those whom he calls to inherit the 

kingdom of glory ? 

" For Lzvas an hungered, and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave me 
d7'ink ; L was a stranger, and ye took me in ; naked, and ye clothed me ; / 
was sick, and ye visited ?ne ; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." Matt. 
25:35.36. 

16. When the righteous ask in surprise regarding the time of these good 

deeds, how will the Saviour reply ? 

" And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Lnasmuch 
as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it 
unto me.'''' Verse 40. 

17. Is it true, then, that if we neglect a poor saint in any degree, we 

thus neglect the Saviour ? 

"Then shall he answer them, saying. Verily I say unto you. Inasmuch as ye did it 
not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.'''' Verse 45. 
Note. — It thus follows that whoever turns his face away from the earnest ap- 
peals of the worthy poor, or even neglects, through lack of interest, to look up 
their cases, reproaches and dishonors his Lord. 





5- 



^be Qi^aee of TVl^^^i^ness. 

HAT class of persons will the Lord direct ? 

" The meek will he guide in judgment ; and the meek will he teach his 
way." Ps. 25:9. Meek. — "Mild of temper; not easily provoked or 
^ irritated; given to forbearance under injuries; soft; gentle; yielding." 
— Webster. 

Who could truly say he possessed this principle? 

' Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me ; for / am meek and lowly in heart : 
and ye shall find rest unto your souls." Matt, ii : 29. 

Who was the meekest man on earth before Christ came ? 

' Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face 
of the earth." Num. 12:3. 

Of whom was Moses a type ? 

' I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and 
zvill put my words in his mouth ; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall 
command him." Deut. 18 : 18, compared with Acts 3 : 22-26. 

Whom should we follow in this ? 

Come unto 7fie, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." 
Matt. II : 28. 

How is one to receive the instruction he needs on this point ? 

Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive 
with meekness the engrafted zvord, which is able to save your souls." James 
I : 21. 

When asked for a reason of our hope of heaven, how should we 
answer ? 

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts ; and be ready always to give an an- 
swer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, 7vith 
meekness and fear.'''' I Peter 3:15. 

Of what is meekness a fruit ? 

■ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, good- 
ness, faith, meekness, temperance : against such there is no law." Gal. 5 : 
22, 23. 

[351I 



^\AL GHKCL OV ^^LVvULSS, 



9. What opposite fruit is borne of another spirit ? 

" Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us histeth 
to envy ? ' ' James 4:5. 

10. If one really has the Spirit of God, what things will he look after? 

"For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh ; but they that 
are after the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.'''' Rom. 8:5. 

11. If one does not cultivate the graces of the Spirit, according to 

the above text he does not have the Spirit. What safe conclu- 
sion, then, may be drawn from the lives of professors ? 

" But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell 
in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.'" 
Verse 9. 

12. If a brother is overcome by a fault, who only should undertake 

his restoration, and in what way ? 

" Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a 
one in the spirit of meekness ; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." 
Gal. 6:1. 

13. How should Christian women adorn themselves ? 

"Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of 
wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel ; but let it be the hidden man of 
the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek a7id 
quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." I Peter 3 : 3, 4. 

14. What will the Lord finally do for those who cultivate the spirit of 

meekness ? 

" For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people : he will beautify the meek with sal- 
vation," Ps. 149 : 4. 

15. And what will accompany salvation? 

"Blessed are the meek ; for they shall inherit the earth.'''' Matt. 5 • 5- 



mi 





TWissionarj/- \V)opI^. 




HAT has been given to every man ? 

For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his 
house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his zvork, and 
commanded the porter to watch." Mark 13 : 34. 

Besides work, what else has he given to every man ? 

' And unto one he gave five talents,, to another two, and to another one ; to every 
■man according to his several ability ; and straightway took his journey." 
Matt. 25 : 15. 

Who comprise the " every man " here spoken of ? 

For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travehng into a far country, who called 
his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods." Verse 14. 

Do all who profess to be God's servants make good use of the tal- 
ents given them ? 

Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and 
made them other five talents. . . . But he that had received one went and 
digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money." Verses 16-18. 

What did that one who hid his talent in the earth, render as an 
excuse for so doing? 

And / was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth : lo, there thou hast 
that is thine." Verse 25. He returned to his lord the talent in full, as it 
had been delivered to him ; but his lord was not satisfied with simply that. 

What did his master say to that servant because he hid his talent ? 
His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant.'''' 



Verse 26. 
21 



[353 



354 ^\^VL RLK\^\HGvS. 



7. What did he say the servant ought, at least, to have done with 

the talent ? 

' ' Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my 
coming I should have received mine own with usury." Verse 27. This 
shows that the Lord expects every one, even him who has the smallest talent, 
to improve it for the Master. But some will be slothful, and think they are 
justified in not being active. 

8. What is characteristic of slothful people ? 

"The slothful man saith, There is a lion without, I shall be slain in the streets." 
Prov. 22 : 13. That is, they see great obstacles before them, and are always 
ready with excuses. 

9. The man in the parable was afraid as well, because he said his 

master was a hard man. But was it real, honest fear that 
made him act as he did ? 

"And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked 
servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not 
down, and reaping that I did not sow ; wherefore then gavest not thou my 
money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with 
usury ? " Luke 19 : 22, 23. 
Note. — The Lord shows that if that servant had really been afraid of his 
master, he would have done what was expected of him. The fact that he 
acted as he did, showed rather that he did not care for the interest of his 
master. This is a universal rule : that people make excuses for not working 
in the service of the Master, only when they desire to pursue a course more to 
their own liking. The talents given include all their abilities of both mind 
and means, with which to help on the work of God. These ought to be so 
invested as continually to add to the kingdom of God in the earth. The man 
in the parable was probably diligent enough in his own affairs ; but this was 
not enough ; he must use the proceeds of his diligence to build up the interest 
of the Lord's work in the earth. 

10. What was the fate of the slothful servant? 

" And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness : there shall be weeping 
and gnashing of teeth." " Matt. 25 : 30. He finally lost all that was substan- 
tial, and worth living for. His whole life was a pronounced failure. 

11. Who else will share the same fate ? 

"But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are ; depart from me, all 
ye workers of iniquity.'''' Luke 13 : 27. . 

12. What was said to the servant who improved the talents given to 

him ? 

" His lord said unto him. Well done, thou good and faithful servant : thou hast 
been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things : en- 
ter thou into the joy of thy lord.'''' Matt. 25 : 21. 



^\SS\OH^R^( NWOR\^. 355 



13. What did the joy placed before the Saviour enable him to bear? 

" Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ; who for the joy that was 
set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the 
right hand of the throne of God." Heb. 12 : 2. 

14. When will the Lord have this satisfaction and joy? 

" He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied." Isa. 53 : 1 1. That 
is, he will behold the work he has accomplished in saving souls from death, 
through his own sufferings, and will be satisfied when they are gathered to 
dwell with him in the everlasting kingdom. 

15. How will Christ demonstrate the joy he feels at that time ? 

"The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty ; he will save, he will rejoice 
over thee with joy : he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with sing- 
ing.''' Zeph. 3:17. 

16. What did Paul expect would be his joy at that time ? 

" For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing ? Are not even ye in the pres- 
ence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming ? For ye are our glory and joy." 
I Thess. 2 : 19, 20. 

17. Since this joy comes to Christ only through his self-denial and 

sufferings for others, in what way must all others partake of 
that joy ? 

" It is a faithful saying : For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him : 
if we suffer, we shall also reign with him ; if we deny him, he also will deny 
us." 2 Tim. 2 : ii, 12. 

18. What motive should prompt every one to engage in the work of 

saving souls ? 

"For the love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died 
for all, then were all dead." 2 Cor. 5 : 14. 

Note. — This love was manifested to a remarkable degree by the Waldensian mis- 
sionaries. They felt that God required more of them than merely to main- 
tain the truth in the mountains of their own districts. They carried the 
word of God to distant countries, disguised as common peddlers. While dis- 
playing their goods, their hearts were uplifted to God for wisdom to know 
when and how to let it be known that they had the treasure of God's word 
among their wares, as a precious gift to those who would receive it. They 
had a continual longing to break the bread of life to the benighted followers 
of the papal church. It was their greatest joy to give hope to every sin- 
stricken soul, in thus pointing them to the Lamb of God. Theirs was the 
true missionary spirit, and is worthy of imitation by the church of to-day. 

19. AVhom does every faithful worker represent? 

" Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us : 
we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." 2 Cor. 5 : 20. 



356 



mSS\OUK?.^ NNORV^. 



20. If one excuses himself from the work, what will be the result ? 

'■'• Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away : and every branch 
that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit." John 
15 :2. 

2 1. What position does one really occupy who does 7iot labor for 
Christ ? 

" He that is not with me is against me : and he that gathereth not with me scatter- 
eth." Luke 1 1 : 23. 
Note. — If one could be saved who had really never sacrificed anything to save 
a soul from death, nor been in any way instrumental in saving another, how 
strange he would feel in the city of God, among those who were constantly 
rejoicing over the fruits of their labors ! Can such a condition be possible ? 





^be True Israel of Qod. 

PON whom was the name " Israel " first bestowed ? 

"And he said, TAy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel ; for as 
a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed." 
Gen. 32 : 28. As impUed in the text, the word Israel means a "prince," or 
"one who prevails with God." 

Afterward who came to be called by this title ? 

Now these are the names of the children of Israel, which came into Egypt : , . . 
Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, Dan, 
and Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. . . . Joseph was in Egypt already." Ex. i : 
1-5. In other words, the descendants of Jacob were the twelve tribes of Is- 
rael. 

What are the blessings bestowed on the Israelites, as enumerated 
by Paul? 

Who are Israelites ; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the 
covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises ; 
whose are the fathers, and of zv horn as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is 
over all." Rom. 9 : 4, 5. 

But did the apostle consider all those who belonged to the twelve 
tribes as true Israelites ? 

They are not all Israel, which are of Israel ; neither, because they are the seed 
of Abraham, are they all children : but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called." 
Verses 6, 7. " That is," the apostle goes on to explain, " they which are the 
children of the flesh, these are not the children of God." Thus we see that 
the apostle makes the true Israel depend on their being children of God. 
Otherwise, even though being literal descendants of Abraham, they are not 
counted as Israel. 

What did John the Baptist say to those who came to his baptism ? 

And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father ; for I 
say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abra- 
ham.^^ Matt. 3 : 9. God is not dependent on you, the literal seed of Abra- 
ham, to perpetuate Israel. He can raise up the true children of Abraham 

[357] 



358 ^\^V.^ RLND\HOS 



from these stones if he sees fit. Therefore do not think you are to receive of 
these blessings, unless you become the children of God. These are, in sub- 
stance, the words of John, and show that the name Israel, in the true sense, is 
not to be limited to any particular nation, but includes all the true followers 
of God. 

6. What does it require to be counted a child of Abraham ? 

"Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of 
Abraham." Gal. 3 : 7. 

7. By what means does one become heir to the promises of God to 

Abraham ? 

"And if ye be Chrisfs, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the 
promise." Verse 29. 

8. And by what name are Christians also known? 

" And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and 
upon the Israel of God.'''' Gal. 6:16. 

9. We are taught to address God as " Our Father." By what right 

may we do this ? 

"Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.'''' Rom. 
8 : 15. That is, we are adopted 'mio the family of God, and take the name of 
children by virtue of his adopting us, who were homeless and friendless. 
The Jews had that distinctive title until they forfeited it. Had they ac- 
cepted Christ at his first advent, there is no doubt but they would even now 
have held the pre-eminence in this respect. 

10. To whom did Paul say the gospel would first be the power of God? 

" For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ : for it is the power of God unto 
salvation to every one that believeth ; to the yeru first, and also to the Greek." 
Rom. I : 16. 

11. When Jesus sent forth the twelve disciples to preach, to whom did 

he first send them ? 

" These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying. Go not into the 
way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not ; but go 
rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.''^ Matt. 10 : 5, 6. 

12. When the woman of Canaan came to Christ, beseeching him to 

heal her daughter, and the disciples requested that she might 
be sent away, what reply did the Saviour make ? 

" But he answered and said, I af?i not sent but unto the lost sheep of the Jiouse of 
Israel.'''' Matt. 15 : 24. 

13. When she persisted in her request, and fell down to worship Christ, 

what did he say to her ? 

" But he answered and said. It is not ineet [proper, or right] to take the children's 
bread, and to cast it to dogs." Verse 26. It is thus plain that if the Jews 



*\V\L TRV^L \S^KLV. OV G^Oti. 859 

had not rejected Christ, they would have still maintained the pre-eminence as 
the children of God. But Paul says that we are entitled to cry, Abba, Father, 
because we have been adopted into his family, and now bear the name Israel 
in common with those who were first called by that name. 

14. When the name Israel was first borne by God's ancient people, 

how did he illustrate their standing before him ? 

" The Lord called thy name, A green olive-tree, fair, and of goodly fruit : with the 
noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are 
broken." Jer. ii : 16. 

15. God says that he broke the branches of that fair olive-tree ; that 

is, caused the people of that house of Israel to be cut off. 
How does Paul say that Israel is still made to exist ? 

*' And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive-tree, 
wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness 
of the olive-tree.^'' Rom. 1 1 : 17. 
Note, — When some of the Jewish branches were cut off because of their unbe- 
lief, the roots and stock of the olive-tree are represented as still being left. 
God does not propose to start another device for saving men ; that would per- 
haps involve another sacrifice of the Son of God, or some other arrangement, 
that we cannot comprehend. No, Christ has died for the world ; and although 
his people rejected him, he will not change the plan in the least. Now, 
every one who comes to him must be grafted into the parent stock of Israel, 
and take that name. 

16. But if Gentiles are thus grafted into that stock, does it not change 

that to a Gentile tree ? 

" Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou dearest not the root, hut 
the root thee. ' ' Verse 1 8. 

17. Lest the Gentile grafts should boast by saying that the Jews were 

broken off to let them come in, what does the apostle say ? 

"Well ; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be 
not high-minded, but fear ; for if God spared not the natural branches, take 
heed lest he also spare not thee.'''' Verses 20, 21. God is not dependent on 
any one to sustain the olive-tree of Israel. He can cut off the Gentile grafts 
as easily as he did the natural branches, if they disobey his word, and supply 
their place with others more worthy. 

18. May not the broken branches be again grafted into this tree ? 

" And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in ; for God is 
able to graft them in again." Verse 23. Notice, the tree stands the same, 
however many branches are cut off or grafted into it. It is still Israel. And 
when Gentiles and Jews who believe are all together grafted into this tree 
under the new covenant, it will still be, to all intents and purposes, an Israel- 
itic tree ; yet a portion of its branches, at least, are formed by the grafting in 
of Gentiles. 



360 lU^ 1P.V^^ \SRNLV. OV G.O\i. 

19. And how will all Israel be saved ? 

"And so all Israel shall be saved." Verse 26. 6"^ means, in the manner pre- 
viously described. If the Jews fall out, their places will be filled by Gentiles 
changed into Israelites, and so all Israel will be saved. 

20. Before Gentiles become a part of Israel, in what condition are they ? 

" Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles, . . . that at that time 
ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and 
strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in 
the world.'''' Eph. 2 : 11, 12, 
Note. — If, in order to be saved, Gentiles must become Israelites, as is everywhere 
asserted, then when converted from their Gentile ways to the ways of Israel, 
they certainly must conform to the moral law God gave to Israel anciently ; 
otherwise it would not be the commonwealth of Israel, but of the Gentiles, 

21. In the closing work of the gospel, what will be the tenets of 

God's people? 

"Here are they that keep the commandinents of God and the faith of Jesus.''^ 
Rev. 14 : 12. 

2 2. And what will be the reward of commandment-keepers ? 

" Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree 
of life, and may enter in through the gates ijtto the city.'''' Rev. 22 : 14. 

23. Whose names are found inscribed in the foundations of the city 

of God? 

"And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the 
twelve apostles of the Lamb.'''' Rev. 21 : 14. 

24. Whose names are over the twelve gates ? 

"And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve 
angels, and names written thereon, which are the natnes of the tzuelve tribes 
of the childre7i of Israel.'''' Verse 12. 

25. Who will have the privilege of walking in the light of that city ? 

"And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it ; and the 
kings of the earth do briftg their glory and honor into it.''"' Verse 24. 
Note. — This city of the New Jerusalem will be for all nations that are saved, 
and yet they must enter that city through gates on which are written the names 
of the twelve tribes of Israel. More than this, the names of the twelve apos- 
tles are to appear in the foundations of the city. The name of Israel will not 
only be perpetuated, but those who bear that name will be from all nations, 
and will be associated with Christ and the twelve apostles. When Christ came, 
he chose the same number of apostles as there were tribes of Israel, presumably 
to perpetuate the name and parts of Israel. He might have chosen more, who 
could have accomplished more work according to their numbers ; but when 
one of the twelve fell, another was appointed to take his place, in order to 
preserve the exact number. To these, Jesus said : "Ye which have followed 
me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his 
glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." 
We find them again in the New Jerusalem, blended with the tribes of Israel. 
Israel is sure to triumph, and those who join themselves to Israel will finally 
triumph with them. 





4- 



RetuF^n of tBe Jev\?s. 

HAT two covenants were made with the houses of Israel and 
Judah? 
"Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant 
with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah ; not according to the 
covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the 
hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt." Jer. 31 : 31, 32. 

Of which of these covenants is Christ the mediator ? 

And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament [covenant]." Heb. 

9 = 15- 
Is this the new covenant promised through Jeremiah ? 

For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been 
sought for the second." Heb. 8:7. Compare also verses 8-1 1 with Jer. 
31 : 3 1-34- 

When the new covenant came in force, what became of the old 
one? 

In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which 
decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.'' Heb. 8 : 13. It is plain 
that whatever promises are fulfilled, under the new covenant, at least, must 
be received through Christ, since he is the mediator of that covenant. 

What did the Lord call the Jewish Church ? 

The Lord called thy name, A green olive-tree, fair, and of goodly fruit:' Jer. 



II : 16. 



[361] 



362 ^\BLL RLN\)\HGS. 



6. And how does the apostle represent those Jews who refused to 

accept Christ? 
" And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive-tree, wert 
grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of 
the olive-tree." Rom. ii : 17. 

7. Why were they broken off? 

" Well ; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be 
not high-minded, but fear." Verse 20. This sets the matter forth clearly. 
The Jewish people were represented by a fair olive-tree. But when Christ 
died, and became the mediator of the new covenant, every Jew who did not 
accept him, was broken off from the tree (the Jewish body). This would 
certainly destroy all claim they might have had to any national promises to 
the body. These texts also establish another point ; namely, that every one 
who rejects Christ, forfeits all title to the promises of either the old or the new 
covenant. 

8. How may those Jews who were " broken off " through unbelief, be 

permitted to rejoin the Jewish tree (body) from whence they 
were broken, and thus be entitled to the promises to Israel ? 

" And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief shall be grafted in ; for God is 
able to graft them in again." Rom. 11 : 23. 

9. But because the Jews did reject the Mediator of the new covenant, 

and hence were denied a name with the true Israel, what does 
the Lord do to supply the vacancy made by their rejection? 
" And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou [the Gentiles], being a wild 
olive-tree, wert grafted in among them [i. e., those who were true], and with 
them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree." Verse 17. 

10. Then how does the apostle say all Israel shall be saved ? 

"And so [in this manner] all Israel shall be saved." Verse 26. That is, by 
putting believing Gentiles in the place of the unbelieving Jews, and letting 
them become Israel. In that way all Israel shall be saved ; for *' they are 
not all Israel which are of Israel " (Rom. 9 : 6), but only those are counted for 
the seed who have faith in the Lord Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant. 

11. What did Christ by his death do for both Jews and Gentiles ? 
"Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments con- 
tained in ordinances ; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so mak- 
ing peace ; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, 
having slain the enmity thereby." Eph. 2 : 15, 16. The ceremonial law of 
ordinances was broken down and abolished, and with it fell all national dis- 
tinction. 

12. Then what do the Gentiles become, and on what foundation do 

they stand ? 
" Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with 
the saints, and of the household of God ; and are built upon the foundation of 
the apostles and prophets, yesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone.'''' 
Verses 19, 20. 



R^'XUHU OV IHL iLNNS. 363 

13. Who are counted Jews in the new dispensation? 

" For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly ; . . . but he is a Jew, which is one 
inwardly ; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the 
letter ; whose praise is not of men, but of God." Rom. 2 : 28, 29 ; 9 :6, 7. 
Thus we see that every one who has an inward work done for him, and who 
has the praise of God instead of man (whether of the Gentile stock or not), is 
a true Israelite. 

14. How do Gentiles become the children of Abraham (true Israel- 

ites), and heirs of the promises of God ? 

"And if ye be Christ ''s, then are ye Abraham'' s seed, and heirs according to the 
promise." Gal. 3 :29. 

Note. — So much for the general promises of God to Israel. It is clearly estab- 
lished that none of them can find a fulfillment, except through the Lord Jesus 
Christ. More than this, every one who participates in any of these promises, 
must be counted an Israelite ; because all in the new dispensation who are 
permitted to partake of the promises, must do so by virtue of being grafted 
into the parent stock, from which the unbelieving Jews were broken off. Let 
us now briefly notice some of the local promises (so called) to Israel, under- 
stood by some to refer to a future restoration and return to Jerusalem. 

15. Prior to what date were all the Old Testament prophecies, except 

Malachi, given ? 

B. C. 486. See chronological date in margin of Zechariah. 

16. At what time did Artaxerxes issue the decree to "restore and 

build Jerusalem " ? 

B. C. 457. See margin of Ezra 7 : 1 1-26, where the decree is recorded. 

17. By this decree, could all the Jews who wished, return to their own 

land? 

" I make a decree, that all they of the people of Israel, and of his priests and 
Levites, in my realm, which are minded of their own freewill to go up to 
Jerusalem, go with thee." Ezra 7 : 13. This was sufficient to fulfill any pre- 
vious promises that Israel should return to their own land. 

18. Were not all the tribes represented in Jerusalem at the re-dedica- 

tion of the temple after the captivity ? 

" And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the chil- 
dren of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy." 
Ezra 6 : 16. 

19. Were they not also represented in their cities ? 

" So the priests, and the Levites, and the porters, and the singers, and some of the 
people, and the Nethinim, and all Israel, dwelt in their cities ; and when the 
seventh month came, the children of Israel were in their cities.'''' Neh. 7 : 73. 
See also Josephus's Jewish Antiquities, book 12, chap. 2, sees. 4-7. 



364 ^LIUHU OV IVAL ALNNS. 



20. But is there not to be a gathering of Israel " one by one," which 
means their conversion ? 

" And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall beat off from the chan- 
nel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and j^ shall be gathered one by one, 
O ye children of Israel.'''' Isa. 27 : 12. 

2 1. But when is that gathering to take place ? 

"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown.'''' 
Verse 13. 

22. When will the " great trumpet" be blown? 

" They shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and 
great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, 
and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of 
heaven to the other." Matt. 24 : 30, 31. 

23. How do we know that this will be the gathering of Israel ? 

" Then he said unto me. Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. 
. . . And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have opened your graves, 
O my people, and brought you up out of your graves, and shall put my Spirit 
in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land." Eze. 
37 : 11-14. See also I Thess. 4 : 16, 17. 
Note. — It is therefore established that all the dead in Christ, of every age and 
clime, are the house of Israel, and that when the trump of God is heard, the 
angels will gather them "one by one" from their dusty beds, and return 
them into their own land after it has been purified, for the habitation of the 
righteous, as shown in the reading, " Home of the Saved," p. 172. 





Be\oxe the, coxxwtvo^ t\ \.\v& o>Tea.V 



glijab the pj^opbet 





EFORE the day of the Lord, who was to be sent to the world ? 

" Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the 
great and dreadful day of the Lord." Mai. 4:5. 

2. In whom was this prophecy partially fulfilled? 

" For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive 
it, this is Elias, which was for to come.'' ^ Matt. 1 1 : 13, 14. Elias is the 
Greek form of the Hebrew word Elijah. 

3. What objection was raised by the scribes to Christ's mission? 

" And his disciples asked him, saying. Why then say the scribes that Elias must 
first come ? " Matt. 17 : 10. 

4. What answer was made to this ? 

"And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore 
all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is, come already, and they knew 
him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also 
the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake 
unto them of John the Baptist." Verses 11-13. 

5. What was John's testimony of himself? 

" And they asked him, What then ? Art thou Elias ? And he saith, I am not. Art 
thou that Prophet ? And he answered. No." John 1:21. 

6. How is this apparent discrepancy explained ? 

" And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of 
the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just ; to 
make ready a people prepared for the Lord." Luke 1:17. 

7. When was this spirit and power to be manifested ? 

Before " the great and ' dreadful' day of the Lord." See answer to question i. 

8. What else was to take place before that " terrible " day ? 

" The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great 
and the terrible day of the Lord come." Joel 2 :3I. 

9. Was that day still future in Peter's time? 

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night ; in the which the 
heavens shall pass away with a great noise." 2 Peter 3 : 10. 

[365] 



366 B\BV^ R^N\i\nGS. 

10. What did the spirit of Elijah lead him to do ? 

" And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two 
opinions ? If the Lord be God, follow him : but if Baal, then follow him." 

1 Kings i8 : 21. 

Note, — The Israelites had at that time forsaken God, and turned to worship 
Baal, In this they had departed from God's commandments, and the work 
of Elijah was to brave their anger, by crying out against their worship of Baal, 
and appealing to them to return to the commandments of God, 

11. After boldly declaring the truth, what was Elijah compelled to do ? 

"Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, 
and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to-morrow 
about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and weni for his life, and 
came to Beersheba.''^ I Kings 19 : 2, 3. 

12. What charge was brought against Elijah ? 

" And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou 
he that troubleth Israel f'' I Kings 18 : 17. 

13. How did Elijah feel? 

" And said. It is enough ; now, O Lord, take away my life ; for I am not better 
than my fathers." i Kings 19 : 4. 

14. What did the Lord do for Elijah ? 

" Behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them 
both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.'''' 2 Kings 

2 : II. 

15. What will the last message before the Lord comes demand of the 

faithful ? 

" And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice. If any man wor- 
ship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his 
hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured 
out without mixture into the cup of his indignation. . . . Here is the patience 
of the saints : here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith 
of Jesus.'''' Rev. 14:9-12. 
Note. — It will be seen that this message is a counterpart of that proclaimed by 
Elijah, inasmuch as it calls for people to decide between the worship of the 
beast and the worship of God. This will call for those who have the bold- 
ness to cry out against the practices of the people, and appeal to them to re- 
turn to God by keeping his commandments. 

16. How will the remnant church be generally regarded for thus keep- 

ing God's commandments ? 

♦' And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the rem- 
nant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony 
of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12 : 17. 



( 



17. How far may we expect this persecution to be carried against 

those who will not yield to the power of the beast ? 

"And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the 
beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the 
image of the beast should be killed.'''' Rev. 13 : 15. 

18. If faithful, what will be done for these persecuted ones ? 

** And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire : and them that had gotten 
the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over 
the number of his name, stand 071 the sea of glass, having the harps of God.''] 
Rev. 15:2. 
Note. — The song of Moses was the song of the Israelites when delivered at the 
Red Sea, from the power of their persecutors, the Egyptians. This triumph 
did not resemble the usual triumphs of nation over nation. This was an in- 
dividual 6.e.\\\era.ncQ, whose commemoration all could join in singing. So it 
will be in the final triumph ; the persecutors will feel the vengeance of God, 
and his people will be saved alive to rejoice in their wonderful deliverance 
through the interposition of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

19. God sent a chariot for Elijah. What are the chariots of God 

like ? 
" The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels.'''' Ps. 68 : 17. 

20. How will the Lord gather his faithful ones in the last great 

struggle ? 

" And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, a7td they shall 
gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the 
other." Matt. 24:31. 






Social Puritg". 

'^tffl^OW much is included in the seventh commandment ? 

" Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not 
commit adultery ; but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman 
to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." 

Matt. 5 : 27, 28. 

2. What are the people of God exhorted to omit ? 

" But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named 
among you, as becometh saints ; neither Jilthiness, nor foolish talking, nor 
jesting, which are not convenient ; but rather giving of thanks." Eph. 5 : 3, 4. 

3. With what does the apostle class this inclination ? 

'■'■Now the zvorks of the Jlesh are manifest, which are these : Adultery, fornication, 
uncleanness, lasciviousness." Gal. 5 : 19. 

4. Of what will those who are guilty in this direction be deprived ? 

"I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not in- 
herit the kingdom of God." Verse 21. 

5. If one professing godliness is known to be impure, what is our 

duty regarding him ? 

" But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a 
brother be a fornicator." i Cor. 5:11. 

6. If one receives evil communications, how will they affect him ? 

"Be not deceived : evil communications corrupt good manners.'''' i Cor. 15 :33. 

7. When a person allows corrupt thoughts to be sown in his heart, 

what may he expect to reap ? 

" Be not deceived ; God is not mocked ; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall 
he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corrup- 
tion ; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." 
Gal. 6: 7, 8. 
[368] 



SOC\NL PV^RH^. 369 



8. What is even the thought of foolishness said to be ? 
" The thought of foohshness is sin." Prov. 24 : 9. 

9. On what condition does God accept the sinner ? 

" Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let 
him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, 
for he will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55 : 7. 

10. Where should one's thoughts be held? 

"And bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.'" 2 Cor. 
10:5. 

11. Does God know the thoughts? 

"Thou knowest my down-sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my 
thought afar off." Ps, 139 : 2. 

12. Then how should one treat him who indulges in low, impure con- 

versation ? 

"And have no fellozvship with the unfruitful zvorks of darkness, but rather re- 
prove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done 
of them in secret." Eph. 5:11, 12. 

13. In conversation, against what should one be strenuously guarded? 

" Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good 
to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Eph. 
4:29. 

14. What are the proper things to engage one's mind ? 

" Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, 
whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are 
lovely, whatsoever things are of good report ; if there be any virtue, and if 
there be any praise, think on these things.'''' Phil. 4 : 8. 
Note. — To male and female alike this rule applies. All should avoid associat- 
ing with those who indulge in low, impure thoughts, as their presence and in- 
fluence are alike contagious. One soon receives the mold of a frequent com- 
panionship, whether the companion be good or bad. All should strive against 
the reception of groveling, vulgar thoughts ; for, as has been truthfully said, 
" no one can succeed long in keeping himself from vicious acts whose thoughts 
dwell, without restraint, upon unchaste subjects. . . . Purity of life depends 
upon purity of mind ; and the only way to secure the first is by the cultivation 
of the second. Incessant mental occupation is the only safeguard against 
sin." 

15. What is promised to the pure in heart? 

" Blessed are the pure in heart ; for they shall see God." Matt. 5:8. 
Note. — By reading Gen. 6:1-13, it will be readily seen that social impurity 
was the chief cause of the deluge. It was also the principal reason for the 
destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Gen. 19 : i-ii. God at one time de- 
stroyed 24,000 of the Israelites because of their laxness in this respect. 

24 



370 ^\^VL RIN\)\UGS. 



Num. 25 : 1-9. One notable case is brought to view in the early Biblical rec- 
ord, which shows the reward of virtue. Joseph was sorely tempted (Gen. 
39 : 7-12) •, but he resisted his insidious tempter, though at the expense of his 
personal freedom. God rewarded him, however (Gen. 41 : 38-44), by rais- 
ing him to a place he never could have attained had he yielded to the impure 
suggestions of his mistress. This should be a lesson to all, knowing that in 
the day of judgment all will render an account, even of the secrets of their 
hearts. Eccl. 12 : 14. 

16. From what source come the words of one's mouth ? 

" O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things ? for out of the 
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matt. 12 : 34. 
Note. — Great care should be exercised in the training of children's minds, as. 
what is taken into them, from whatever source, will be sure to bear its legiti- 
mate fruit in due time. On this point, the Rev. T. De Witt Talmage has well 
said : "You may tear your coat or break a vase, and repair it again ; but the 
point where the rip or the fracture took place will always be evident. It 
takes less than an hour to do your heart a damage which no time can entirely 
repair. Look carefully over your child's library ; see what book it is that he 
reads after he has gone to bed. Do not always take it for granted that a book 
is good because it is a Sunday-school book. As far as possible, know who- 
wrote it, who illustrated it, who published it, who sold it. It seems that in 
the literature of the day, the ten plagues of Egypt have returned, and the 
frogs and lice have hopped and skipped over our parlor tables. Parents are 
delighted to have their children read, but they should be sure as to what they 
read. You do not have to walk a day or two in an infected district to get the 
cholera or typhoid fever ; and one wave of moral unhealth will fever and blast, 
the soul forever. Perhaps, knowing not what you did, you read a bad book. 
Do you not remember it altogether ? — Yes ; and perhaps you will never get 
over it. However strong and exalted your character, never read a bad book. 
By the time you get through the first chapter, you will see the drift. If you 
find the marks of the hoofs of the Devil in the picture, or in the style, or in 
the plot, away with it. But there is more danger, I think, from many of the 
family papers, published once a week, in those stories of vice and shame, 
full of infamous suggestions, going as far as they can without exposing them- 
selves to the clutch of the law. I name none of them ; but say that on some 
fashionable tables there lie ' family newspapers ' that are the very vomit of 
the pit." 

17, Of what will all give account in the day of judgment ? 

"But I say unto you. That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give 
account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be: 
justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Matt. 12 : 36, 37. 
Notes. — "Nothing can be more fatal to purity of life in either sex than the 
idea that a young man may sow 'wild oats,' and still be a ' first-rate good 
fellow,' and worthy of positions of trust and responsibility in society ; and 
the fact that such a notion prevails, is further evidence of the lowered moral 
tone of society, to which we have already referred. It will be a happy day to- 
the cause of morality when society says to the young man who lapses from. 



^BoritY* Pledges 






THOU GOD SEEST ME. 




KOR NIEN. 



/ hereby solemnly promise by the help of God 

I. To obey the law of purity in thought and 
act. 

II. To refrain from, and to discountenance in 
others, vulgarity of speech, and indecent jests 
and allusions. 

III. To avoid all books, amusements, and as- 
sociations calculated to excite impure thoughts. 

IV. To uphold the same standard of purity 
for men and women, 

V. To oppose all laws and customs which tend 
to the degradation of women, and to labor for 
their reform. 

VI. To endeavor to spread the knowledge of 
these principles, and to aid others in obeying 
them. 



Name, 



Date,. 



BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART.' 



"thou god SEEST ME." 




KOR WOMKN. 



/ hereby solemnly promise by the help of God 

I. To obey the law of purity in thought and 
act. 

II. To refrain from, and to discountenance in 
others, all conversation upon impure subjects, 
and to avoid all books, amusements, and associ- 
ations which tend in the direction of impurity. 

III. To be modest in language, behavior, and 
dress. 

IV. To uphold the same standard of purity 
for men and women. 

V. To oppose all laws and customs which tend 
to the degradation of women, and to labor for 
their reform. 

VI. To endeavor to spread the knowledge of 
these principles, and to aid others in obeying 
them. 



Name, 



Date, 



BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART.' 



SOC\NV. ?V^R\1\. 371 



virtue, as it does to the young woman under the same circumstances, ' You 
have forfeited your right to honor and respect. You have violated one of the 
plainest laws of God and man. You have become a social leper, and are 
likely to spread vile moral contagion more potent for evil than the venom of 
a rattlesnake, or the contagious virus of small-pox or cholera. Hence, unless 
you repent and reform, and earn a right to the confidence of the good and 
pure, you must be an outcast from society, subjected to a social quarantine 
which M'ill effectively prevent the contamination of your fellows.' " — y. IT. 
Kellogg, M. D. , President of American Health and Temperance Association^ 
in address on Social Purity. 

There has of late been some excellent work done toward staying the tide 
of social impurity. To this end a society was organized in England, under 
the name of "White Cross Army." Soon afterward the movement spread 
to America, and the Young Men's Christian Association of New York 
effected an organization, the object of which is, "The promotion of purity 
among young men, the elevation of public opinion regarding the question of 
personal purity, and the maintenance of the same standard for men and 
women." The same line of work has been taken up by the National Wo- 
man's Christian Temperance Union, and that society now has a Social Purity 
Department. The American Health and Temperance Association has also 
entered the field, to war against the frightful evil of social impurity, and to 
engage others in an effort to save the young who are surrounded by so many 
strong temptations. The pledges herewith presented, are those adopted by 
this association. 



I LEST are the pure in heart ; 
^ For they our God shall see. 
And from his presence ne'er depart 
Through all eternity. 

I will be their delight 

Who here delight in me. 
And they shall walk with me in white 

Who seek for purity. 

No more in thought they err, 
They 're free from every stain ; 

They 've washed their robes of character. 
And spotless they remain. 

O bliss for which we 've sought — 

From sin to be secure ! 
In every word, and act, and thought. 

Forever to be pure. 




\V)ctlKing in the Cig^t. 



^S(k^±^. 




1^0 ES the Lord consider it important that his children walk in 
the light ? 

"Walk while ye have the light, /es^ darkness come upon you ; for he 
A\>i^ that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth." John 12:35. 

fc^ 2. When starting in the Christian course, what must one do to 
* obtain the benefits of the blood of Christ? 

" But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with an- 
other, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 
I John I : 7. 

3. How long may the Christian expect light to shine on his pathway? 

" But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineih more and more unto 
the perfect day.''' Prov. 4 : 18. 

4. If one does not have this constantly increasing light, what may he 

conclude ? 

'■'• Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." Ps. 
97:11. One who stumbles along hesitatingly, without any new impulses, 
may fairly conclude that he is not in a condition to receive light. 

5. What will become of the light which a person has if he fails to 

improve by it ? 

"The light of the body is the eye ; therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole 
body also is full of light ; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of 
darkness. Take heed, therefore, that the light which is in thee be not dark- 
ness."" Luke II : 34, 35. 

6. Why are those condemned who do not come to the light ? 

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved 
darkness rather than light, because their deeds zuere evil.'''' John 3 : 19. 

7. If one is really seeking for truth, Avhat will he do ? 

[372] 



^KV.\^\Ua \H 1V\L UOH-\. 373 

" But he that doeth truth covwth to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, 
that they are wrought in God." Verse 21. 

8. What will those who reject light and truth, be finally led to 

believe ? 

"And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe 
a lie ; that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had 
pleasure in unrighteousness." 2 Thess. 2: 11, 12. God is represented as 
sending the delusion, simply because he does not shield them from it. He 
could not consistently shield them unless they walked in the light of his ad- 
vancing truth. Examples of his thus leaving people to deception, are numer- 
ous in the Bible. See Ps. 81:12; Rom. i : 24, etc. 

9. From what source does one derive light ? 

" Thy 7Vord is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Ps. 119 : 105, 
130 ; Prov. 6 : 23. 
Note. — The more earnestly one desires to know the will of God, while living 
up to all the light he has, the more light and truth from God will dawn upon 
his mind. And the fact that one has the evidence of his acceptance with God, 
is no surety that he has all the light there is for him. If light is sown for the 
righteous, such are just the ones who may expect to see new duties presented 
to them from the precious word of God. 

10. Who was told by an angel of God that his ways pleased the Lord? 

" He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day, an angel of God 
coming in to him, and saying unto him, CorneliMS. And when he looked on 
him, he was afraid, and said. What is it, Lord ? And he said unto him, Thy 
prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." Acts 
10:3,4- 

11. Did the angel then tell him that he had nothing more to learn or 

do, in order to be saved ? 

"And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 
he lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea-side : he shall 
tell thee what thou oughtest to do.''"' Verses 5, 6. 
Note. — The reason why the Lord favored Cornelius with a visit from one of 
his angels, was not because he was perfect in his ways ; but God saw in him 
a sincere desire to comply with every known requirement. That spirit was 
pleasing to God, and he therefore opened the way for Cornelius to learn the 
whole truth from Peter, that he might be saved. God never changes. He 
does the same now with sincere, devoted persons ; and all may have an oppor- 
tunity to receive all the light they will walk in. If it is rejected when atten- 
tion is called to it, the protection of God is rejected, and the individual is left 
to the buffetings of the enemy. 

12. In what are we exhorted to continue ? 

" For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of otir confidence 
steadfast unto the end." Heb. 3 : 14 ; Matt. 10 : 22. 



374 VJ[\L\^\HG \H IHL UG^U^. 

13. Among those that hear the prophecies of Revelation, who are to 

have a blessing from God ? 

" Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and 
keep those things which are writteti therein.'''' Rev. I : 3. Then with an in- 
crease of knowledge on these points, one's responsibilities increase. We are in 
the last days, and in the generation that is to hear the warning of the third 
angel's message. Rev. 14 : 9-12. That presents the keeping of the com- 
mandments of God and the faith of Jesus as a safeguard against receiving the 
mark of the beast. See reading on this and kindred subjects. 

14. Is there an example of God's overthrowing people whom he once 

loved, because they refused to obey him ? 

*'I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the 
Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed 
theni that believed not.'''' Jude 5. 



'ALK in the light ! so shalt thou know 
That fellowship of love 
His Spirit only can bestow 
Who reigns in light above. 

Walk in the light ! and thou shalt own 
Thy darkness passed away ; 

Because that light on thee hath shone 
In which is perfect day. 

Walk in the light ! and e'en the tomb 
No fearful shade shall wear ; 

Glory shall chase away its gloom, 
For Christ hath conquered there. 

Walk in the light ! and thine shall be 
A path, though thorny, bright ; 

For God, by grace, shall dwell in thee, 
And God himself is light. 



#i 





T"be Qrdinanee of ^umilitp*. 

,T the last passover, what did the Saviour say to his disciples? 

"And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat ihis passove?' 
with you before I suffer ; for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, 
until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." Luke 22 : 15, 16. 

2. What spirit was manifested by the disciples on that occasion? 

" And there was also a strife among thein, which of them shotild be accounted the 
greatest.'''' Verse 24. 

3. How did Christ rebuke the disciples ? 

" And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them ; 
and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye 
shall not be so : but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger ; 
and he that is chief, as he that doth serve." Verses 25, 26. 

4. What did the Saviour say of his own position ? 

" For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth ? is not he 
that sitteth at meat ? but I am among you as he that serveth.'''' Verse 27. 

5. With such knowledge of his own power and authority, what ex- 

cellent example did Christ give of his humility ? 

" He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments ; and took a towel, and girded 
himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disci- 
ples^ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." John 

6. On approaching Peter, what did that disciple say ? 

"Then cometh he to Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto him. Lord, dost thou wash 
my feet F''^ Verse 6. 

7. And what was the reply ? 

"Jesus answered and said unto him. What I do thou knowest not now ; but thou 
shalt know hereafter." Verse 7. 
Notes. — From the request of Peter and the reply of the Lord, it is evident that 
this mode of procedure was something new. Had they been simply carrying 
out an Oriental custom of feet-washing, it "would have been attended to 
when they first entered the house, before engaging in the passover. 

[375] 



lUL ORD\HF\UCL Ov V\U^\U1^[. 377 

"As sandals were ineffectual against the dust and heat of an Eastern cli- 
mate, washing the feet on entering a house was an act both of respect to the 
company and of refreshment to the traveler." — Complete Dictionary of t lie 
Bible, by Smith and Barnu?n, art. Washing the Hands and Feet. 

"For the same reason he may purposely have postponed the act of wash- 
ing his disciples' feet till after supper, lest, while he was teaching a new les- 
son of humility, he might add a sanction to current and baneful errors." — 
Kitto''s Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature, art. Washing of Feet. 

8. How did Peter feel about submitting to the Saviour's proposal ? 

"Peter saith unto him, Thou shall never luash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I 
wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." Verse 8. 

9. Learning that his salvation depended on his submission to Christ, 

what did Peter then wish done ? 

" Simon Peter saith unto him. Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my 
head.''' Verse 9. 

10. Was this really necessary? 

"Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save [only] to 7uash his feet, 
but is clean every whit : and ye are clean, but not all." Verse 10. 
Notes. — The idea here is, that since they were all ceremonially clean by bath- 
- ing, before partaking of the passover, accordmg to the Jewish law (Num. 9 ; 
2 Chron. 30 ; John 18 : 28), they did not need a bathing of the head and 
hands to cleanse them. It was, however, necessary to have the ceremony 
of feet-washing to indicate their humility, and to signify their faith in the 
washing of regeneration that Christ alone can give. See last clause of 
verse 8. 

^'^ He that is washed. — That is, he who has been in the bath, as probably 
all the apostles had lately been, in order to prepare themselves the better for 
the paschal solemnity ; for on that occasion it was the custom of the Jews to 
bathe twice." — A. Clarke, on John ij : 10. 

" Our Saviour, after his last supper, gave a striking lesson of humility by 
washing his disciples' feet (John 13 : 5, 6), though the eighth verse shows that 
he had also a. deeper meaning." — Dictionary of the Holy Bible, by the Amer- 
ican Tract Society, art. Foot. 

11. After performing the ceremony, what did Christ say had been his 

object? 

^^¥ or I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." 
John 13 : 15. 

12. What did he say they should therefore do to one another^ 

" Ye call me Master and Lord : and ye say well ; for so I am. If I then, your 
Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another'' s 
feet.'' John 13 113, 14. 

13. What promise is vouchsafed to those who carry out this ordinance ? 

" If ye know these things, happy [Greek, blessed^ are ye if ye do them." Verse 17. 



378 lU^ 0^.\)\HI\UCL OV VAVi^\U^X. 

14. How was the Oriental custom of feet-washing invariably con- 

ducted? 

" Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest your- 
selves under the tree." Gen. 18:4; 19:2; Judges 19:21; 2 Sam. 11:8; 
Luke 7 : 44. It M^as always done by the guests themselves, and not by the 
host. This was probably one reason why Peter did not understand what the 
Saviour's ceremony meant, and why he at first refused to submit to it. 

15. As late as a. d. 65, what was one test applied by the apostle to de- 

termine whether a widow was worthy to be taken into a certain 
circle ? 

' ' If she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed 
the saints^ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently fol- 
lowed every good work." I Tim. 5 : 10. In the Oriental act of hospitality, 
water must be brought for any guest, whether saint or not. In the Christian 
ordinance, one has to wash the feet of none but believers. 

16. How does Christ regard an act performed toward the humblest of 

his disciples ? 

" Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have 
done it unto me.'''' Matt. 25 140. 
Notes. — Mr. C. Schmidt, Prof, of Theology of Strasburg, Alsace, France (now 
Germany), in his " History and Doctrine of the Sect of the Cathares or Albi- 
genses," page 26, says : " They had adopted the custom of washing one an- 
other's feet, in imitation of the example of the Saviour, who had washed the 
feet of his disciples, to give them a lesson of humility." With reference to 
the practice of Calvin and his associates, in the opening of the French Revo- 
lution, see " History of the Reformation in the Time of Calvin," vol. 3, page 
400. 

The ordinance of feet-washing was evidently instituted to correct that 
natural disposition of the human heart — ambition for power and place. If 
carried out, the ceremony would do much toward uniting hearts in Christian 
fellowship. It would be a severe and humiliating test for the proud-spirited 
and the domineering ; and for this reason the Saviour chose this ceremony to 
show to all his followers that they M^ere only servants of Christ and of one 
another. How fitting, too, that it should be instituted and celebrated prior 
to, yet in connection with, the Lord's Supper, thus preparing each participant 
to come properly to the table of the Lord ! 



'^m^ 




The [^oi^d*s Suf>f>ei^. 



HAT constituted the righteousness of Zachariah and Elizabeth ? 

"And they were both righteous before God, 7ualking hi all the coinmand- 
ments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." Luke l : 6. 

Besides the ten commandments, what were observed under the old 
covenant? 

" Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly 
sanctuary. " Heb. 9:1. 

3. In what did these ordinances consist ? 

"Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordi- 
nances, imposed on them until the time of reformation " Verse 10. 

4. What did these prefigure ? 

" For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of 
the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year 
continually, make the comers thereunto perfect." Heb. 10 : r. 

5. Why was it necessary for them to offer these sacrifices ? 

"And if any one of the common people sin through ignorance, while he doeth somezuJiat 

against any of the commandments of the Lord concerning things which ought 

~ not to be done, and be guilty ; or if his sin, which he hath sinned, come to 

his knowledge ; then he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a female 

without blemish, for his sin which he hath sinned." Lev. 4 : 27, 28. 

6 Could these offerings take away their sins ? 

" For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins." 
Heb. 10 :4. 

7. To what did they look forward? 

" Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith. Sacrifice and offering than 
-Moulds t not, but a body hast thou prepared me.'''' Verse 5. 
Note. — It will be readily seen that the law of sacrifices was not a rule of life ; 
but a remedial arrangement for the repentant sinner. By reference to Jer. 
6 : 19, 20 ; Hosea 8:12, 13, and similar passages, it will be noticed that sacri- 
fices offered by those who did not keep the law of God were vain and useless. 

[379] 



380 B\^\.L RLN\)\UGS. 



They were, moreover, hateful to Jehovah. After breaking God's moral law of 
ten commandments, the sinner might repent, and then through the provisions 
of the sacrificial law, show his faith in the world's Redeemer, who was to come 
and spill his blood for the sins of mankind. These requirements were ordi- 
nances which looked forward to, and typified the work of, the Saviour. 

8. Where were the ten commandments written under the old cove- 

nant ? 

" And the Lord said unto Moses, Come up to me into the mount, and be there : 
and I will give thee tables of stone, and a law, and commandments which I have 
written ; that thou mayest teach them." Ex. 24 : 12. 

9. What was to be done with these commandments when the new 

covenant came in force ? 

" But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel : After 
those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write 
it in their hearts.''^ Jer. 31 : 33 ; Heb. 8 : 8-10. 

10. Having God's commandments in the heart, should we also keep 

Christ and his sufferings in mind ? 

" By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, un- 
less ye have believed in vaiji. For I delivered unto you first of all that which 
I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures." 
I Cor. 15 :2, 3. 

11. Is it enough simply to believe in the death of Christ? 

" For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep 
in Jesus will God bring with him." i Thess. 4 : 14. 

12. By what act do we commemorate the resurrection of Christ? 

" Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith 
of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." Col. 2:12. 
Then keeping the first day of the week is not required to commemorate it. 

13. But what should always precede baptism ? 

"Then Peter said unto them. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the 
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." Acts 2 : 38. 

14. Toward whom must repentance be exercised ? 

"And have taught you publicly, and from house to house, testifying both to the 
Jews and also to the Greeks, repentance tozuard God and faith toward our 
Lord Jesus Christ." Acts 20 : 20, 21.. 

15. Then by being baptized, what does one signify to the world ? 

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." 
Gal. 3 :27. 

16. How is the death of Christ to be commemorated? 

" P^or as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's 
death till he come." I Cor. 11 : 26. 



T\AL LOH\:)'S SViPVLH. 381 



17. When, and by whom was this ordinance instituted ? 

" The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he zoas betrayed, took bread ; and when 
he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat ; this is my body, which 
is broken for you : this do in remembrance of me." I Cor. 11 : 23, 24. 

18. What is signified by the cup ? 

" After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This 
cup is the new testament in my blood : this do ye, as oft as ye drinlv it, in re- 
membrance of me." Verse 25. 

19. What was done by Christ and the disciples after partaking of the 

communion ? 

^^ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives." 
Matt. 26 : 30. 

20. If one refuses to obey God, can he be profited by partaking of the 

communion? 

"Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink (his cup of the Lord, tin- 
ivorthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." i Cor. 11 : 27 ; 
10:21. 



OCK of Ages, cleft for me ! 
■Let me hide myself in thee ; 
Let the water and the blood, 
From thy wounded side that flowed. 
Be of sin the perfect cure ; 
Save me, Lord, and make me pure. 

Should my tears forever flow. 
Should my zeal no languor know. 
This, for sin, could not atone ; 
Thou must save, and thou alone. 
In my hand no price I bring ; 
Simply to thy cross I cling. 

When my pilgrimage I close, 
Victor o'er the last of foes. 
When I soar to worlds unknown. 
See thee on thy judgment throne, — 
Rock of Ages, cleft for me. 
Let me hide myself in thee. 




^V.tSS'L'Q\S^HKT StRMKUl, YJHO^ \A\S VORO, V>JHtU \At GOW\tTH. SHKLV. V\HO SO DC\HG». 




pi^esent ^i^utB. 



Y what are men sanctified ? 

" Sanctify them thi-ough thy ti'iith : thy word is truth." John 17:17. 

2. What is the Lord's will concerning his truth ? 

"Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of 
the truth.'''' I Tim. 2:4. That is, God wills it to be so; but men do not 
carry out the will of God. 

3. After receiving a knowledge of the truth, what must one do to be 

sanctified ? 

" God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of 
the Spirit and belief of the truth.'''' 2 Thess. 2 : 13. 

4. And what is necessary besides believing it? 

" Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification 
of the Spirit, unto obedience.'''' I Peter I : 2. 

5. What effect does obedience to the truth have ? 

"Seeing ye have purified yoitr souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit." 
Verse 22. 

6. How must worship be rendered to God, that it may be acceptable ? 

' ' God is a Spirit ; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in 
truth.'''' John 4 : 24. 
[382] 



PH^S^H^ ^HV^'WA. 383 



7. How should the truth ever be cherished ? 

" Buy the truth, and sell it not." Prov. 23 : 23. In other words, buy the truth at 
whatever cost, and sell it under no consideration whatever. 

8. Is there in the Bible what may be called " present truth " ? 

" Wherefore I will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these 
things, though ye know them, and be established in the present trtith.^'' 
2 Peter i : 12. 
Note. — There are some Bible truths that are applicable in all ages of the 
world, and are therefore present truth for every generation. There are, how- 
ever, some truths in the Bible of a special character, and applicable only to 
one generation, to which the belief of them v/ould be salvation. To believe 
the same truth a generation later, would not have the same effect. The case 
of the flood is to the point. It was a saving, present truth to Noah's gener- 
ation. The following generation might believe in the flood, and yet be lost, 
simply because that particular point of faith had ceased to be a "present 
truth " in this special sense. It was a. past truth, and had met its fulfillment. 
It would be just the same with reference to believing a certain point before it 
was due to the world. For instance, had the message that was proclaimed by 
John the Baptist been given by some one a generation before Christ was to 
appear, it would have done the people no good to believe that message, simply 
because the time had not come for its fulfillment, and the people hearing it 
would never see it fulfilled. This is not so with the general truths of the 
Bible, — faith, repentance, etc. These are always in season, and of a saving 
nature at all times. 

9. What was the special message to be proclaimed in Noah's day ? 

"And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me ; for the earth 
is filled with violence through them ; and, behold, I will destroy them with 
the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood.'''' Gen. 6 : 13, 14. 

0. Did Noah build the ark? and why? 

" By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, 
prepared an ark to the saving of his house : by the which he condemned the 
world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith." Heb. 11:7. 

1. How many were saved in the ark ? 

"The long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a pre- 
paring, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by zvater.''^ i Peter 3 : 20. 
Probably many of those who were lost had the common faith of Noah and his 
family up to the time God gave him that special message. The difference 
then came, not because of their former belief, but because they did not, with 
those who were saved in the ark, accept the special, saving truth given for 
that time. 

2. What special message was given to Jonah for the people of 

Nineveh ? 
" So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. . . . 
And Jonah began to enter into the city a day's journey, and he cried, and 
said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown." Jonah 3 : 3, 4. 




[384] 



JOHN THE BAPTIST PREACHING. 



PH^SLH^ IRV^^H. 385 



13. What saved the people from the predicted overthrow? 

" So the people of Nineveh beheved God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sack- 
cloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them." " And God saw 
their works, that they turned from their evil way ; and God repented of the 
evil that he had said that he would do unto them ; and he did it not." 
Verses 5, 10. 

14. What was the special mission of John the Baptist? 

" There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a 
witness, to hear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe." 
John 1:6, 7. 

15. What answer did he return to those who asked him about his 

mission? 

" He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Make straight the way 
of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias." Verse 23. 

16. John's baptism was something new and startling to his generation. 

What did those do for themselves who rejected his doctrine? 

"But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against thejuselves, be- 
ing not baptized of him." Luke 7 : 30. 

17. And what did those do who were baptized of John ? 

"And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being bap- 
tized with the baptism of John." Verse 29. That is, they honored or glori- 
fied God by the step they took, which showed their faith in his truth. 

18. Did the reputed people of God receive Christ when he came? 

"He came unto his own, and his own received him not." John i : il. 

19. What reason did they give for not doing so ? 

" We know that God spake unto Moses : as for this fellow, we know not from 
whence he is." John 9 : 29. 
Note. — That was the trouble, — they had no faith in anything new. They 
knew that God spoke by Moses : it required no faith to believe that, and they 
incurred no risk by accepting Moses, for everything had demonstrated that he 
was sent of God. All could see that ; but here was one who, although he had 
come in fulfillment of the prophecies as their long-looked-for Messiah, yet 
there was a risk in accepting him because time had not worked out to a dem- 
onstration the truthfulness of his claims. In short, it required too much faith, 
as against their desire to walk by sight, to accept Christ, and so he was re- 
jected. These people, however, believed in the flood that had saved Noah. 
They believed in Elijah and all the prophets ; but when it came to this special 
truth for their time, they failed. It may be the same with the present gen- 
eration concerning the second advent. They may cling to old theories, be- 
cause they think these have not been questioned, and reject the truths per- 
taining to the coming of the Master. 

25 



386 ^\^^^ R^N\i\HGS, 



20. What did the people say when Christ referred to how their fathers 
slew the prophets ? 
" If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers 
with them in the blood of the prophets." Matt. 23 : 30. While they pro- 
fessed to regret the action of their fathers in slaying the prophets for telling 
them new truths, they soon filled up the measure of their iniquity by putting 
to death the Son of God. This showed that they would have done the same 
as their fathers had they lived in their day. The Lord save this generation 
from regretting the work of the Jews in crucifying Christ, and then by un- 
righteous acts against his truth for this time, showing themselves worthy of 
being their successors. 

2 1. What was the result of the Jews' not accepting Christ ? 

" And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying. If thou 
hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto 
thy peace ! but now they are hid fro7n thine eyes.'''' Luke 19 : 41, 42. 

22. Is there to be a special message and work for the last generation? 
" Therefore be ye also ready ; for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man 

cometh. Who then is a faithful and wise servant ^ whom his lord hath made 
ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?" Matt. 24: 

44, 45- 
Note. — In view of the Lord's coming, a message will go forth, bearing 
" meat in due season " to the people. This must be the warning of the Lord's 
coming, and the preparation necessary to meet him. And because such a mes- 
sage was not always preached, is no evidence that it is not now to be proclaimed. 
Pastor John Robinson, in his farewell address to the Pilgrim Fathers on their 
departure from Holland for America, said: "The Lord knoweth whether I 
shall ever see your faces more ; but whether the Lord hath appointed that or 
not, I charge you before God and his blessed angels to follow me no farther 
than I have followed Christ. If God should reveal anything to you by any 
other instrument of his, be as ready to receive it as you ever were to receive 
any truth by my ministry ; for I am very confident that the Lord hath more 
truth and light yet to break forth out of his holy word. P'or my part, I can- 
not sufficiently bewail the condition of the reformed churches, who are come 
to a period in religion, and will go no farther than the instruments of their 
reformation. The Lutherans cannot be drawn to go any farther than what 
Luther saw ; and the Calvinists, you see, stick fast where they were left by 
that great man of God, who yet saw not all things. This is a misery much 
to be lamented ; for though they were burning and shining lights in their time, 
yet they penetrated not into the whole counsel of God, but were they now 
living, would be as willing to embrace further light as that which they first 
received." 

23. What is pronounced upon those who are found doing such work? 

"Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing." 
Verse 46. 
Notes. — Luther declared : "I persuade myself verily, that the day of judgment 
will not be absent full three hundred years. God will not, can not, suffer this 
wicked world much longer. The great day is drawing near, in which the 
kingdom of abominations shall be overthrown." 



PRLS^Hl T\^\)1V\. 387 



" This aged world is not far from its end," said Melancthon. Calvin bids 
Christians " not to hesitate, ardently desiring the day of Christ's coming as of all 
events most auspicious ; " and declares that *' the whole human family of the 
faithful will keep in view that day." "We must hunger after Christ, we 
must seek, contemplate," he says, " till the dawning of that great day, when 
our Lord will fully manifest the glory of his kingdom." 

" Has not our Lord Jesus carried up our flesh into heaven ? " said Knox, 
the Scotch reformer, " and shall he not return? We know that he shall re- 
turn, and that with expedition." Ridley and Latimer, who laid down their 
lives for the truth, looked in faith for the Lord's coming. Ridley wrote : 
"The world without doubt — this I do believe, and therefore I say it — 
draws to an end. Let us with John, the servant of God, cry in our hearts 
unto our Saviour Christ, Come, Lord Jesus, come ! " 

"The thoughts of the coming of the Lord," said Baxter, "are most sweet 
and joyful to me. It is the work of faith and the character of his saints to 
love his appearing and to look for that blessed hope." 

24. What will be the burden of that proclamation ? 

" Here is the patience of the saints ; here are they that keep the commandments 
of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14 : 12. 

25. How earnestly is this work to be prosecuted? 

"And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and 
compel them to come in, that my house may be filled." Luke 14 : 23. 
Note. — This work is now going on. In every part of the world the sound of 
the third angel's message is being heard, and measures are in progress every- 
where to urge men to obey the truth. Many of these ambassadors feel as did 
the apostle : "Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." 
2 Cor. 5:11. 



->•#•<• 



'E servants of the Lord, 
Each in his office wait ; 
Observant of his heavenly word. 
And watchful at his gate. 

Let all your lamps be bright. 
And trim the golden flame ; 

Gird up your loins as in his sight ; 
His coming thus proclaim. 

O, happy servant he. 

In such a posture found ! 

He shall his Lord with rapture see. 
And be with honor crowned. 




[388] 



THE WISDOM OF CHRIST. 



W)isdom. 




HAT is recommended as the principal thing to gain ? 

" Wisdom is the principal thing ; therefore get wisdom." Prov, 4 : 7. Wis- 
doin. — "The quahty of being wise; knowledge, and the capacity to 
make due use of it." — Webster. A person may have an abundance of 
knowledge, and still show no zvisdotn. 

2. What will this acquisition bring to those who obtain it? 

" Exalt her, and she ?>h.2i\\ pi'omote thee : she shall bring thee to honor, when thou 
dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace : a crown 
of glory shall she deliver to thee.'''' Verses 8, 9. 

3. How are the things of earth to be compared to it? 

" She is more precious than rubies : and all the things thou canst desire are not to 
be compared unto her.'''' Prov. 3 : 15. 

4. Whence comes this precious acquirement ? 
" For the Lord giveth wisdom." Prov. 2 : 6. 

5. How may one obtain it ? 

" If any of you lack wisdom, let Juiji ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, 
and upbraideth not ; and it shall be given him.'''' James 1:5. 

6. What does this asking involve ? 

'■^ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering : for he that wavereth is like a wave 
of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that 
he shall receive anything of the Lord." Verses 6, 7. 

7. What is the beginning, or first state, of wisdom ? 

" The fear [reverence] of the Lord, is the beginning of wisdom : a good understand- 
ing have all they that do his commandtnents : his praise endureth forever." 
Ps. Ill : 10. That is, reverence for God leads one to keep his command- 
ments, by which is obtained an understanding of God's will. Christ kept his 
Father's commandments, and the wisdom which he manifested, not only in 
asking and answering questions, but at all times, illustrates the truthfulness of 
the declaration, "A good understanding have all they that do his command- 
ments." 

8. What has the Saviour promised to those who will keep his words ? 

" If a man love me, he will keep my words : and my father will love him, and 
we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.'''' John 14 : 23. 

[389] 



390 \N\S\iOVJ\, 



9- When the Spirit of God is thus received, what will it do for the 
individual ? 

"But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit ; for the Spirit searcheth all 
things, yea, the deep things of God.'''' I Cor. 2 : lo. 

10. What is included in these " deep things " ? 

*' O Lord, how great are thy works ! and thy thoughts are very deep." Ps. 92 : 5. 

11. How far may one hope to know the mind of God regarding 

himself? 

" But be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is 
that good, and acceptable, and perfect ruill of God.'''' Rom. 12:2. 

12. How will he appear who has been thus honored of God ? 

" Who is as the wise man ? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing ? a 
man's wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be 
changed. ' ' Eccl. 8 : I . 

13. How many kinds of wisdom are there ? 

" Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect : yet not the wisdoui of 
this world. . . . But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the 
hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the zvorld unto our glory.''' i Cor. 
2 :6, 7. 

14. How is worldly wisdom regarded by God ? 

" For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God." I Cor. 3 : 19. 

15. What is the character of that wisdom which comes from God? 

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy 
to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without 
hypocrisy.'''' James 3:17. 



►^^•^ 



e^^ROAD is the road that leads to death, 
e^ And thousands walk together there ; 
But wisdom shows a narrow path. 
With here and there a traveler. 

Deny thyself, and take thy cross. 
Is thy Redeeriier's great command ; 

Nature must count her gold but dross, 
If she would gain that heavenly land. 

The fearful soul that tires and faints, 
And walks the ways of God no more, 

Is but esteemed almost a saint, 

And makes his own destruction sure. 



\SKKC ^K-^IS. 




T^be Gastern Question, 



''HE eleventh chapter of Daniel entire is a literal historical prophecy, the long- 
est and most remarkable of its kind in all the Scriptures. Beginning with the 
first year of Darius the Mede, it passes through the remainder of Persian 
history (verse 3), the brief reign of Alexander the Great (verses 3, 4), followed 
by the long contests between the kings of Syria and Egypt, the former called 
"the king of the North," and the latter, "the king of the South," these 
countries being respectively north and south from Jerusalem (verses 5-15) ; 
then passes into Roman history (verses 16-29), notices the crucifixion of Christ 
(verse 22), touches upon the work of the papacy (verses 30-33), the great 
Reformation (verse 34), the end of papal supremacy in 1798 (verse 35) ; then 
introduces, and ends with, the closing portion of the history of the Turkish 
empire, this empire now including, as a part of its domain, the identical ter- 
ritory of the old Assyrian kingdom, and for this reason receiving also the 
name, " The king of the North." Verses 40-45. It is this introduction of the 
Turkish empire that connects the prophecy with the "Eastern Question;" 
for the Eastern Question is simply the question of how the remains of the 
now nearly defunct Turkish empire shall be disposed of. A definite point in 
the prophecy, sufficiently far back to include all that is said about the Eastern 
Question, is found in verse 35. With that we therefore commence the 
investigation. 

I. What are the three prominent things brought to view in verse 35 ? 

(i.) A period of persecution ; (2.) The fact that this persecution is measured by 
a prophetic period — "a time appointed;" and (3.) That this prophetic 
period brings us to a season called " the time of the end." 

[391] 



392 ^y'SV.^ RLN\)\UGS. 



2. What time of persecution is thus limited in the Scriptures by a 

prophetic period ? 

There are but two instances of such a nature. The first is the persecution under 
Diocletian, from A. D. 302 to 312, "ten days " {years. Rev. 2 : lo) ; but this 
is too far in the past to reach anywhere near to the " time of the end," and 
consequently cannot be the one here intended. The second is the great 
period during which the papacy was to make war upon, and wear out, the 
saints of the Most High (Dan. 7:25; Rev. 13:7), — a period which the 
prophets five times mention as containing 1260 years. Dan. 7 125 ; 12 : 7 ; 
Rev. 12:6, 14; 13:5. Papal supremacy commenced in A. D. 538, and 
ended in 1798. Thus we find ourselves located by verse 35, in the year 1798, 
at the end of the 1260 years, and at the beginning of a period called "the 
time of the end." 

3. What does the prophecy next bring to view ? 

A "kmg," or nation, which in its national capacity should take upon itself the 
profession of atheism. Verses 36, 37. 

4. What nation has ever taken such a position ? 

France, and it alone of all nations of which any mention is made in history ; and 
this was during the great French Revolution, — the "reign of terror," — 1793 
to 1798. Both the nature of the Revolution, and the date, compel us to apply 
verses 36 and 37 to the French nation at that time. 

5. Having thus introduced France, how long does the prophecy dwell 

upon that power ? 
Down to, and including a portion of, verse 40. 

6. What change is noticed in verse t,8 ? 

The introduction of a new worship and a strange god whom their fathers knew 
not. 

7. How was this fulfilled? 

By the introduction of the "worship of Reason," in the person of a lewd woman ; 
which the historian calls another " insane feature of those insane times." 

8. What unique transaction is noticed in the last clause of verse 39 ? 

" And shall divide the land for gain." 

9. How was this fulfilled ? 

It was literally fulfilled in the confiscation of the estates of the nobility by the 
revolutionists, and in the selling out of these estates in small lots, to a multi- 
tude of Frenchmen. The result was to place more than seven hundred mill- 
ion pounds sterling, or over three billion, five hundred million dollars, in the 
depleted French treasury. See Alison, vol. 4, p. 151. 

ID. What time is introduced in verse 40 ? 

The time of the end — 1798. See remarks on verse 35. 



11. Who is the ''king of the South," now again brought to view? 
Egypt. Verses 5-15. 

12. Against whom does this "king of the South " ''push," or make a 

feeble resistance ? 

Against "him ; " that is, the atheistical king of verses 36-39, or P'rance. 

13. Who is the "king of the North," now also introduced? 

Turkey, because it occupies the same territory everywhere else in the prophecy 
called the " king of the North." See verses 6-15 and introductory remark. 

14. What movements, then, does verse 40 call for, according to the 

application here made ? 

The breaking out of hostilities between Egypt and France, and between Turkey 
and France, all in the year 1798. 

15. What is the testimony of history on this point? 

It testifies that these very events did occur in that very year. Napoleon, on the 
strength of fancied Egyptian provocations, entered upon his Egyptian cam- 
paign in the spring of 1 798, and was making an easy conquest of the country, 
when Turkey, through jealousy of the French, and through opposition to 
their designs in Egypt, fostered by English diplomats, declared war against 
France on the 2d of September of that year. England and Russia were in 
alliance with Turkey in this struggle, and their navies furnished the " many 
ships " of the prophecy, while their aid added to the "whirlwind" onset of 
the Turks. 

16. What is indicated by the closing declaration of verse 40, that " /z<? 

shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass 
over" ? 

That one of the parties engaged in this conflict would emerge from it in great 
triumph. The prophecy does not tell by name which one it is, but, as in 
other similar cases, simply uses the pronoun, leaving the student to learn the 
antecedent by the events themselves. We have, therefore, only to ascertain 
which one did triumph, and then we know which one is meant by the pronoun 
"/^<?." The victorious party in this struggle was the Turks. The French, 
under Napoleon, found the Turkish forces strongly intrenched at Acre, in 
Palestine, on the Mediterranean. After sixty days spent in fruitless efforts to 
dislodge them. Napoleon was obliged to sound the note of retreat, and lead 
his forces back to Egypt. Additional reverses soon compelled the French to 
retire to their own country, leaving Egypt in possession of the Turks. In the 
light of these facts, it is impossible to apply the latter part of verse 40 to any 
but the Turks. Egypt, twice prostrated, • — by the French first, then by the 
Turks, — certainly did not " overflow and pass over." The French, ignomin- 
iously retracing their steps to their own land, did not fulfill this specification. 
But the Turks, victorious over the French, and lords of Egypt, certainly did. 
The Turks thus came to take the leading position in the occurrences of those 
times, and now the prophecy drops the French, transfers the burden of its 
testimony to the victorious Turk, and traces his history from this point on to 
the end. 



394 ^\^\.^ HLK^\UGS. 



17. To what do verses 41-43 relate? 

To the advantages and prestige gained by the Turks in that war of 1 798-1 801. 
They recovered all the places taken by the French in the "glorious land," — 
Palestine ; they did not turn aside eastward to overrun Edom and Moab and 
Ammon ; but did enter Egypt, put it under heavy tribute, and received em- 
bassies of friendship and congratulation from the Libyans and Ethiopians, 
located southward in the interior of Africa. 

18. To what does the testimony of verse 44 point? 

To another war, in the present century, excited by the threatening attitude of 
nations on the east and north of Turkey. 

19. In what has this been fulfilled? 

In the Crimean war of 1853-56, which originated from the threatening atti- 
tude of Persia on the east of Turkey, and Russia on the north. Dr. Clarke, 
closing his commentary on the Old Testament in 1825, foreshadowed this 
movement when, commenting on this verse, he said, " It may mean that the 
Persians on the east, and the Russians on the north, will at some time greatly 
embarrass the Ottoman government." Twenty-eight years elapsed, and the 
Crimean war sustained the application of Dr. Clarke, and fulfilled the proph- 
ecy. England and France came to the help of Turkey, and Russia was com- 
pelled to subscribe to the humiliating conditions of the treaty of Paris in 1856. 
By this she was obliged to disarm her ships of war, and dismantle her for- 
tresses on the shores of the Black Sea. 

20. What move on the part of the Turkish power does the prophecy- 

next indicate ? 

" And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas, in the glorious 
holy mountain ; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him." Dan. 
II :45. 

21. What is meant by the " tabernacles of his palace " ? 
The seat of government. 

22. Where is this now? 

At Constantinople, on the banks of the Bosporus. 

23. To what place does the prophecy point for its future location ? 

"' Between the seas, in the glorious holy mountain," an expression which Bishop 
Newton says "must denote some part of the holy land ;" and if so, it can 
be none other than Jerusalem. We must therefore look for the Turks to re- 
move their seat of government from Constantinople to Jerusalem. They will 
never do this till they are obliged to leave Europe ; and this will be their last 
move. They then come to their end, and none help them. Thus the proph- 
ecy points to a movement on the part of Turkey which lies at the very center 
of the Eastern Question, — "driving the Turk into Asia, and scrambling for 
his territory," as Carleton, the Boston Herald correspondent, expressed it. 



IHL LI\S^L?.n QiV^LS-\\OU. 395 

24. What is the prospect that such a move is inevitable in the near 
future ? 
To answer this, it is only necessary to consider briefly the relation of Turkey to 
other European powers, particularly to Russia. It has been the dream of 
Russia, ever since the days of Peter the Great, who died in 1725, to secure 
Constantinople, and control the important outlet from the Black Sea to the 
Mediterranean. Peter left a last will and testament enjoining upon his suc- 
cessors on the Russian throne, a policy to be pursued in the extension of the 
empire. Among its provisions, one was to " take every possible means to se- 
cure Constantinople ; " another, to "stir up strife between Turkey and Persia," 
and to " hasten the decay of Persia," so as to open a way through the East to 
India, the great store-house of the world. The unremitting effort to carry out 
this policy has made Russia for the past hundred and fifty years what it is to- 
day, a standing menace to the peace of Europe and the East. Napoleon 
Bonaparte understood this policy, and when a prisoner on St. Helena, told 
his keeper, Gov. Hudson, that Alexander once proposed to him that they di- 
vide the map of Europe between them, he (Alexander) to have Constantino- 
ple, and Napoleon to take his choice of any remaining territory. "I would 
not do it," said Napoleon ; " for I foresaw that if Russia once gained control 
of the Mediterranean, she would become a great maritime power, and thus 
the equilibrium of Europe would be destroyed." 

It was in the line of this Russian policy that the Crimean war occurred, 
which closed in a manner to check for awhile Russian advancement. Russia 
watched her opportunity to break away from that treaty of 1856, and found 
it in 1870. Great Britain and France were parties to that treaty. But in 1870 
France was paralyzed by the Franco-Prussian war ; and England was power- 
less to enforce the treaty without the aid of France. Then Russia boldly an- 
nounced that that treaty was at an end, and she should regard it no longer. 
All her warlike preparations were resumed in the Black Sea, and the Turko- 
Russian war of 1877 followed. Other nations again helped the Turks, and 
the treaty of Berlin again restrained for a time the Russians. But Russia is 
now trampling upon that treaty. That treaty made Batum, on the Black 
Sea, a free port. Russia, in defiance of that stipulation, has closed it. All 
Russia's trouble about "rectifying the boundary" in Afghanistan, arises from 
her policy to open a path in that direction to India. Her recent interference 
in the case of Prince Alexander and the Bulgarians, comes from her fixed de- 
termination to secure Constantinople. The nations have heretofore combined 
together to keep the Turks in their place, because no one of them has been 
willing that any other one should gain Constantinople, as that would destroy 
the "equilibrium," or the "balance of power." But in every conflict the 
Turks have grown weaker ; and it only remains for the nations to come to 
some agreement as to the disposal of the remains of the "sick man," which 
may be reached almost any day, and Turkey in Europe will cease to exist. 
Then they must move the seat of government into Asia, and every probability 
would point to Jerusalem as its location. 

Her end speedily follows. Other nations have helped her, — in her war with 
France in 1798; with Egypt in 1838-40; with Russia, 1853-56; and with 
Russia again in 1877. But the prophecy says the time will come when none 
will help her. Dan. 1 1 :45. 



396 "\VA^ ^KSTLRU QiV^LS^\OH. 

25. What takes place in connection with this downfall of Turkey? 

" And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the 
children of thy people ; and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never 
was since there was a nation even to that same time : and at that time thy 
people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." 
Dan. 12 : I. 

26. Who is Michael ? 

Christ. Jude 9 ; i Thess. 4:16; John 5 : 25, 28. 

27. What is meant by his " standing up " ? 

To "stand up," as applied to a king, signifies in scripture phraseology, to ascend 
the throne, or to reign. Dan. 1 1 : 2-4. When the Turk comes to his end, 
the prophecy declares that " at that time " Michael shall stand up. Thus the 
downfall of Turkey, which every intelligent person will not hesitate to admit 
is inevitable in the very near future, becomes the signal for the beginning of 
the reign of Christ, his advent in the clouds of heaven, the time of trouble, 
the resurrection of the dead, and the end of all things. 



•^^ 



'ATCHMEN on the walls of Zion, 
What, O tell us, of the night ? 
Is the day-star now arising ? 

Will the morn soon greet our sight ? 

O'er your vision 
Shine there now some rays of light ? 

Tell, O tell us, are the landmarks 
On our voyage all passed by ? 

Are we nearing now the haven ? 
Can we e'en the land descry ? 

Do we truly 
See the heavenly kingdom nigh ? 

Light is beaming, day is coming ! 

Let us sound aloud the cry ; 
We behold the day-star rising 

Pure and bright in yonder sky ! 
Saints, be joyful ; 

Your redemption draweth nigh. 

We have found the chart and compass. 
And are sure the land is near ; 

Onward, onward we are hasting, 
>Soon the haven will appear ; 

Let your voices 
Sound aloud your holy cheer. 




^be geYJentB Pai^t of ^ime. 

)S there a certain day in this dispensation which the Lord calls 
his? 

" I was in tlie Spirit on the Lord's day." Rev. *l : lo. 

2. Of what day is Christ the Lord ? 

" The Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath day." Mark 2 : 28. 

Is there a law regulating the Sabbath day ? 

■ Wherefore it is lazvfiil to do well on the Sabbath days." Matt. 12 : 12. That 

is, it is according to law to do well on the Sabbath. There must, then, be 
a law to regulate the use of the day. 

What is the only law of the Sabbath in the Bible ? 

Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do 
all thy work ; but the seventh day is tJie Sabbath of the Lord thy God : in it 
thou shalt not do any zvork, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man- 
servant, nor thy maid-servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within 
thy gates ; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all 
that in them is, and rested the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the 
Sabbath day, and hallowed it.'''' Ex. 20:8-11. This law does not say a 
seventh day \% your Sabbath, or viy Sabbath ; but the seventh day is the Sab- 
bath of the Lord. It is the Lord's Sabbath, and he commands us to observe 
it in honor of him. We have no authority to decide when the seventh day 
comes, only as it is shown by the word of God. 

How has God pointed out the day of the Sabbath? 

■ Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you." 

" Six days ye shall gather it ; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in 
it there shall be none." Ex. 16 14, 26. 
Note. — By giving the manna from heaven on six successive days, and withhold- 
ing it on the next, and by calling this the "seventh day which is the Sab- 
bath," God plainly indicated which was his holy rest-day. 

How was the Sabbath to be regarded ? 

' \\\ it thou shalt not do any work." Then one could not lawfully gather manna 
on that day, because the Lord had specially said that no one should go out of his 
place on the Sabbath ; but should have enough manna gathered the day be- 
fore to last over two days. Verse 29. 

[397] 



But suppose an Israelite had adopted the first day as the Sabbath, 
thinking a seventh part of time would answer God's require- 
ment as well ; how would he have lived through the day ? 

He would have been obliged to fast ; for no manna had fallen the day before. 
"On the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it there shall be none." 
Verse 26. After finding his first day inconvenient, suppose that he had re- 
solved to adopt another day instead of the first, in order to have one that 
would not come immediately after a day on which no manna was to fall, and 
that he chose the second day of the week for his next Sabbath, gathering, ac- 
cording to the direction of God, a double portion of manna on the previous 
day for his Sabbath supply. He would then fast, just the same as when at- 
tempting to keep the first day. 

Why would he need to fast ? 

Because, when he uncovered the food gathered the day before, he would find it 
alive with vermin, and sending forth a stench that would forbid his eating it. 
" Some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank : 
and Moses was wroth with them." Verse 20. It would be the same with 
every succeeding day of the week, except the veritable day the Lord had 
chosen. 

Why was not the manna corrupt which was kept over until the 
seventh day ? 

Because the Lord miraculously preserved it. "And they laid it up till the morn- 
ing, as Moses bade ; and it did not stink, neither was there any worm therein." 
Verse 24. 

Suppose one at that time had permitted his grown-up sons and 
daughters to keep another day from the one of his choice, on 
the plea that all should exercise their individual judgment as to 
the day they chose to keep ; what part of the Sabbath com- 
mandment would he still violate ? 

'• In it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, " etc. He 
would really be a Sabbath-breaker, according to the only Sabbath law in the 
universe, and the one, too, which he professed to respect. The Sabbath com- 
mandment requires the master of the house and land to have all about him 
quiet on the Sabbath. It also forbids any one's using his individual judg- 
ment as to what day he may keep for the Sabbath. God selects the day for 
all, and says, " It is my day ; keep it because / have set it apart." No one 
has a right to substitute another day in the place of the one chosen of God to 
be kept holy. 

What instruction with reference to the Sabbath did our Saviour 
leave for those who should live at the time of Jerusalem's over- 
throw, A, D. 70 ? 

'And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day." 
Matt. 24 : 20. This shows that Christ not only knew the Sabbath would be 
in existence seventy years after the beginning of the Christian era, but that 
he also regarded the Sabbath as a definite day of the week. Some teach that 
the Sabbath is not definite, but only " a seventh part of time," or " one day in 
seven, and no day in particular." This would make our Lord say, " But pray 
ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a seventh part of time," 
which is too ridiculous to need comment. 



1 





1V\^ HKVA^, V-ORD, LU^V^RL^V\ VOR^^LW, KU\) "WAX 





T"be gabbatB in gistorj/*. 

HEN and by what acts was the Sabbath made ? 

" And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made ; and 
he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And 
God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it : because that in it he had 
rested from all his work which God created and made." Gen. 2 : 2, 3. 

What important division pf time is marked off by the Sabbath ? — 
The week. 

Note. — " One of the most striking collateral confirmations of the Mosaic history 
of the creation, is the general adoption of the division of time into weeks, 
which extends from the Christian states of Europe to the remote shores of 
Hindostan, and has equally prevailed among the Hebrews, the Egyptians, 
Chinese, Greeks, Romans, and Northern barbarians, — nations, some of whom 
had little or no intercourse with others, and were not even known by name to 
the Hebrews. It is to be observed, that there is a great difference between 
the concurrence of nations in the division of time into weeks, and their con- 
currence in the other periodical divisions into years, months, and days. 
These divisions arise from such natural causes as are everywhere obvious ; viz., 
the annual and diurnal revolutions of the sun, and the revolution of the moon. 
The divisions into weeks, on the contrary, seems perfectly arbitrary ; conse- 
quently, its prevailing in distant countries, and among nations which had no 
communication with one another, affords a strong presumption that it must 
have been derived from some remote tradition (as that of the creation), which 
was never totally obliterated from the memory of the Gentiles, and which tra- 
dition has been older than the dispersion of mankind into different regions." 
— Home'' s Introduction, vol. i, p. 6g. 

Two thousand five hundred years after creation, the Sabbath was 
proclaimed, with the other moral commands, from Mount 
Sinai. Why did God say he had put his blessing upon that 
day? 

[400] 



" For in six days the Lord made heaven and earih, the sea, and all that in them is, 
and rested the seventh day : wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and 
hallowed it." Ex. 20 : ii. 

4. What befell the city of Jerusalem when it was captured by the king 

of Babylon ? 

And all the vessels of the house of God ... he brought to Babylon. And they 
burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all 
the palaces thereof with fire." 2 Chron. 36 : 18, 19. 

5. Of what prophecy was this a fulfillment? 

" But if ye will not hearken unto me to hallow the Sabbath day, and not to bear a 
burden, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day ; then 
will I Jiindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of 
Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched." Jer. 17:27. Compare this text 
with 2 Chron. 36 : 21. 

6. After the restoration of Israel from the Babylonian captivity, what 

was said to have been the reason of their punishment ? 

" Then I contended with the nobles of Judah, and said unto them, What evil 
thing is this that ye do, and profane the Sabbath day ? Did not your fathers 
thus, and did not our God bring all this evil upon us, and upon this city ? yet 
ye bring more wrath upon Israel by profaning the Sabbath." Neh. 13:17, 18. 

7. How did Christ regard the Sabbath during his earthly ministry ? 

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up ; and, as his custom 
was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to 
read." Luke 4 : 16. 

8. How did he wish to have it regarded by his disciples at the siege 

of Jerusalem, nearly forty years after his death ? 

" But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath day." 
Matt. 24 : 20. 

9. What does Clement of Alexandria say of the Sabbath, as late as 

A. D. 194? 

"The seventh day is recognized as sacred, not by the Hebrews only, but also by 
the Greeks ; according to which the whole world of all animals and plants 
revolve." — Miscellanies of Cleinent, book ^, chap. i^. 

0. What was the first effort of the Roman Church in behalf of the 

recognition of Sunday? 

"In A. D. 196, Victor, bishop of Rome, attempted to impose on all the churches 
the Roman custom of having Easter fall every year on Sunday." — Bower's 
History of the Popes, vol. i, pp. 18, 

1. What was one of the principal reasons for convoking the Council 

of Nice? 

26 



402 ^\^LL \^^K\)\UOS. 



"The question relating to the observance of Easter, which was agitated in the time 
of Anicetus and Polycarp, and afterward in that of Victor, was still undecided. 
It was one of the principal reasons for convoking the Council of Nice, being 
the most important subject to be considered after the Arian controversy." — 
Boyle'' s Historical View of the Council of Nice, p. 22, ed. of iSjg. 

12. How was the matter finally decided ? 

" Easter day was fixed on the Sunday immediately following the new moon which 
was nearest after the vernal equinox." — Idem, p. 2j. 

13. In urging the observance of this decree on the churches, what 

reason did Constantine assign for it? 

"Let us then have nothing in common with the most hostile rabble of the Jews." 
— Idem, p. ^2, 

14. What had Constantine already done, in a. d. 321, to help forward 

Sunday to a place of prominence ? 

He issued an edict forcing "the judges and town people and the occupation of 
all trades" to rest on the "venerable day of the sun." See Encyclopedia 
Britannica, art. Sunday. 

15. Eusebius was bishop of Caesarea, and one of Constantine's most 

trusty supporters. Who did he say had changed the obliga- 
tions of the Sabbath to Sunday ? 

"All things whatsoever that it \^■as duty to do on the Sabbath, tJiese we hiwc 
transferred to the Lord'' s day.'''' — Kiisebizis'' s Comvientary on the Psalms, 
quoted in Cox^ s " Sabbath Literature,^'' vol. i, p. j6i. 

16. What did Sylvester, bishop of Rome, do for the Sunday institution 

in the fourth century by his "apostolic authority " ? 
He changed the title of the first day, calling it the Lord's day. See " His- 
toria Ecclesiastica " per M. Ludovicum Lucium, cent. 4, cap. 10, pp. 739, 
740, ed. Basilea, 1624. 

17. What did the Council of Laodicea decree in a. d. 364? 

" The Council of Laodicea . . . first settled the observation of the Lord's day, 
and prohibited the keeping of the Jewish Sabbath under an anathema." — 
Dissertation on the Lord ^s Day Sabbath, pp. jj, J4, 44. 

18. But did Christians of the early church keep the Sabbath ? 

"Down even to the fifth ceiitury, the observance of the Jewish Sabbath was con- 
tinued in the Christian church." — Coleman'' s Ancient Christianity Exem- 
plified, chap. 26, sec. 2. 

19. What day was observed all through the Dark Ages by the Wal- 

denses ? 

" They kept the Sabbath day, observed the ordinance of baptism according to the 
primitive church, instructed their children in the articles of the Christian faith 
and the commandments of God." — Jones'' s Church History, vol. 2, chap. 5, 
sec. 4. They M^ere also called "Sabbati," or "Sabbatati," because they 
observed the seventh-day Sabbath. See Benedict's "General History of the 
Baptist Denomination," pp. 412, 413, ed. of 1813. 



1V\L SKBBKIW \H VWS^OH^. 403 

20. We have seen that paganism brought Sunday to the forefront as a 

"venerable" day, and popery gave it the title of " Lord's day." 
What claim is now made by the Roman Church concerning the 
change of the Sabbath to Sunday ? 

'•'■ Ques. — Have you any other way of proving that the church has power to in- 
stitute festivals of precept ? 

'■'■ Ans. — Had she not such power, she could not have done that in which all modern 
religionists agree WMth her, — she could not have substituted the observance of 
Sunday, the first day of the week, for the observance of Saturday, the seventh 
day, a change for which there is no scriptural authority." — Doctrinal Cate- 
(Jtisni. This is taught also in nearly all Catholic books of instruction. 

21. Among the early Reformers, were there any who observed the 

seventh day? 

" Carlstadt held to the divine authority of the Sabbath from the Old Testament." 
Life of Luther, p. 402. 

22. W'hat did Luther say of Carlstadt's Sabbath views ? 

" Indeed, if Carlstadt were to write further about the Sabbath, Sunday would have 
to give way, and the Sabbath — that is to say, Saturday — must be kept holy." 
— Luther, against the Celestial PropJiets, quoted in the Life of Martin Luther 
in Pictures, p. 14^. 
Note. — Through the efforts of those who opposed the Sabbath during the Ref- 
ormation, Sunday was brought from Catholicism into the Protestant church, 
and is now cherished as an institution of the Lord. It is clear, however, that 
it is none of his planting, but rather that of his enemies. The Lord sowed 
different seeds in the field ; but " an enemy hath done this," to lead God's 
people away from the truth. A proclamation is now going forth, how- 
ever, to revive the truth on this point. Some will heed the call, and when 
the message closes, God will have a people who are walling to recognize him 
fully by keeping his down-trodden Sabbath. To these he will say, "Well 
done." 





^V^SS^\) K\^^ ^V\^ 'LN'eS V^V\\C\A St'L ^VAt "^\A\UG>S ^VA^■\ XL SLL 





^be \^a\f w)bieb tbe YjOrd batb TVlcid^:. 

|\HAT was David made to rejoice in? 

This is ^/le day zuhicli the Lord hath made ; we will rejoice and be glad im 
it." Ps. Ii8 : 24. 

What had the Lord become to David ? 

■' The Lord is ;/// strength and song, and is become viy salvation.'''' Verse 14. 

What did he wish opened to him ? 

•' Open to me the gates of righteousness : I will go into them, and I will praise the 
Lord: this gate of the Lord, into which the righteous shall enter .'''' Verses 
19, 20. Christ was the "gate," or way of life, that David was anxious to 
have opened. 

What did he say had become of the rejected stone ? 

■' The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner." 
Verse 22, This was prophecy relating to Christ. See Matt. 21 : 40-44 • 
1 Peter 2 : 4-7. 

How did David regard this wonderful work to be done ? 

''This is the Lord's doing ; it is marvelous in our eyes." Verse 23. In all these 
passages the psalmist speaks of the salvation he expects through Jesus Christ, 
and in prophetic vision looks forward to the day of its manifestation. It 
was marvelous indeed to him, and he exclaimed, "This is the day which the 
Lord hath made ; we Mnll rejoice and be glad in it." 

When should one rejoice in the Lord? 

'•'■Rejoice in the Lord alway ; and again I say. Rejoice." Phil. 4:4; i Thess.. 
5 : 16. Not only on one day of the week, but always. 
[404] 



■\V\e \)KX ^^H\CVA "\V\^ ^0H\) VAKIU ^^0^^. 405 

7. Of what day did the psalmist speak ? 

" For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation 
have I succored thee ; behold, now is the accepted time \ behold, now is the 
day of salvation." 2 Cor. 6 : 2. 

8. Who besides David rejoiced on account of that day? 

"Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day ; and he saw it, and was glad." 
John 8 : 56. 

9. How did Abraham learn of Christ's day ? 

" And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, 
preached before tJie gospel unto Abraham.'''' Gal. 3 : 8. 



^i GLORY gilds the sacred page, 
■^ Majestic like the sun ; 

It gives a light to every age, 
It gives, but borrows none. 

The Spirit breathes upon the word, 
And brings the truth to sight ; 

Precepts and promises afford 
A sanctifying light. 

The hand that gave it, still supplies 
The gracious light and heat ; 

His truths upon the nations rise, 
They rise, but never set 

Let everlasting thanks be thine, 
For such a bright display ; 

It makes a world of darkness shine 
With beams of heavenly day. 



First Seal. — The white horse symbolizes the purity of the faith in he 
first century. The rider with a crown, going orth to conquer, is emblem- 
atical of the zeal and success of the earliest ministers of Christ. 



Second Seal. — The red horse indicates that the original purity of 
faith had become corrupted. The mystery of iniquity had begun to work 
(2 Thess. 2:7); errors arose; worldliness came in; the church sought the 
alliance of the state ; and trouble and commotion were the result. The time 
of this seal extended to the conversion of Constantine. 



Third Seal. — The corruption of this period is denoted by the black 
horse. Between 323 and 538 the darkest errors sprang up in the church, 
and the greatest worldliness prevailed. The celibacy of priests, the wor- 
ship of images and relics, and a long train of superstitions, were substi 
tuted for true religion and genuine piety. 



69 
years. 



Fourth Seal. — A pale horse, or one of a sickly, yellowish hue, well 
symbolizes the state of the professed church from 538 to the opening of the 
Reformation. Death sat on the horse, and power was given to him to kil 
etc. This was just what the papacy did during those long years of her 
supremacy, as the blood of more than 50,000,000 martyrs testifies. 



1517 



Fifth Seal. — This covers the time of the Reformation. The souls 
slain under the preceding seal here cry for vengeance on their persecutors. 
White robes were given them, that is, righteousness (Rev. 19 : 8) was as- 
cribed to them, and they were bidden to rest a little longer. 



Sixth Seal. — Under this occurred the great earthquake ot 1755, fol- 
lowed by the dark day and night of May 19, 1780. Then came the me- 
teoric shower of Nov. 13, 1833, — the last sign given in this line of prophecy \\Indefinite. 
before the heavens depart "as a scroll when it is rolled together." 



The EndV 



Seventh Seal. — This brings the Lord's coming and etei 




[406] 



THE SEVEN SEALS. Revelation 6. 





T"be Serpen Seals. 

HAT was shown upon the opening of the first seal ? 

"And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, . . . a %vhiie 
^^j horse : and he that sat on him had a bow ; and a crown was given unto 

him ; and he went forth conquering, and to conquer." Rev. 6:1,2, 
Note. — As the number seven in the Scriptures denotes completion or perfection, 
it is safe to say that the seven seals embrace the whole of a certain class of 
events reaching down to the close of probationary time. The seven trumpets 
are symbols of wars ; but the seals denote events of a religious nature. The 
symbol of a rider on a white horse, going forth conquering and to conquer, is 
a fitting emblem of the triumphs of the gospel in the first century of this dis- 
jiensation. 

2 What went out upon the opening of the second seal ? 

" And when he had opened the second seal, . . . there went out another horse that 
was red : and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from 
the earth, and that they should kill one another : and there was given unto 
hmi a great sword." Verses 3, 4. 
Note. — If the whiteness of the first horse denoted the purity of the gospel 
which its rider propagated, then the change of color in the second horse would 
show that corruption had begun to creep in when this symbol applies. It is 
true that such a state of things did succeed the apostolic church. Worldliness 
came in. The church sought alliance with the secular power, and trouble and 
commotion was the result. This symbol probably extends to the time of Con 
stantine's conversion in A. D. 323, when a complete union of church and state 
was effected. 

3. What was the coior of the symbol under the third seal ? 

"And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and 
see. And I beheld, and lo, a black horse ; and he that sat on him had a pair 
of balances in his hand," Verse 5, 
Note. — From the time of Contantine to a. d. 538, when the papacy was estab- 
lished, may be truly characterized by a "black " horse, if we consider the gross 
errors that were imbibed by, and the superstitions that sprang up in, the 

[407] 



408 B\^LL R^I\^\UOS. 



church during that time, of which Mosheim says : "Those vain fictions, which 
an attachment to the Platonic philosophy and to popular opinions had engaged 
the greatest part of the Christian doctors to adopt before the time of Constan- 
tine, were now confirmed, enlarged, and embellished in various ways. Hence 
arose that extravagant veneration for departed saints, and those absurd notions 
of a certain fire destined to purify separate souls, that now prevailed, and of 
which the public marks were everywhere to be seen." — Ecclesiastical His- 
tory^ cent. 4, part 2, chap, j, par. i. 

4. What change was seen in the symbol of the fourth seal ? 

"And when he had opened the fourth seal, . . . behold a pale horse : and his 
name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power 
was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and 
with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth." Verses 7, 8. 
Note. — This is an unnatural color. The original denotes the pale or yellowish 
color seen in blighted plants. The symbol evidently refers to the work of 
persecution and death by the Roman Church upon the people everywhere. 
" And power was given unto them." This extended from A. D. 538 to the 
time when the Reformers commenced their work of exposing the true charac- 
ter of the papacy. 

5. On the opening of the fifth seal, what was seen under the altar ? 

" And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them 
that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held." 
\'erse 9. That is, when the Reformers exposed the work of the papacy, it was 
then called to mind how many martyrs had been slain for their faith. 

6. What were these martyrs represented as doing ? 

"And they cried ivith a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost 
thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?" 
Verse 10. They cried for vengeance, just as Abel's blood cried from the ground. 
Gen. 4 : 10. Not that they were in heaven vv'ith these vindictive feelings ; but 
they were under the altar — on which they had been slain. On this point Dr. 
A. Clarke says : "The altar is upon earth, not in heaven." 

7. What was done for these martyrs because they thus cried? 

" And white robes were given unto every one of them ; and it was said unto them, 
That they should rest yet for- a little season, until their fellow-servants also 
and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." 
Verse 11. 
Note. — These had been slain during the hundreds of years covered by the pre- 
ceding seal. Their persecutors had, most of them, at least, died. And if 
they had at death passed to their punishment, as is by some supposed, why 
should the martyred ones still importune for their punishment ? In this, as in 
other parts of the Bible, the figure of personification is used, and things that 
are not are represented as though they did exist. See Rom. 4: 17. These 
martyrs had gone down under the darkness and superstition of the preceding 
seal, covered with ignominy and shame, as heretics. Now in the light of the 



IHL SLNJ^H SLf\\_S. 409 



Reformation they are seen to have been righteous, and hence they are said to 
have "white robes." "The fine linen [white robes] is the righteousness of 
saints." Rev. 19:8. Righteousness is ascribed to them, and when they 
have rested a little longer where they are, — under the altar, — till all others 
who are to fall for their faith have followed them, then together they will be 
raised to immortal glory, 

8. What was first seen on the opening of the sixth seal ? 

" And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great 
earthquake." Verse 12, first part. 
Note. — This unquestionably refers to the great earthquake of Nov. i, 1755, 
which covered 4,000,000 square miles [6,500,000 square kilometers]. Lisbon 
(Portugal), which had before contained 150,000 inhabitants, was almost en- 
tirely destroyed. It is said that 90,000 persons perished on that occasion. 
(See Encyclopedia Britannica.) As one writer has described it : The shock of 
the earthquake "was instantly followed by the fall of every church and 
convent, almost all the large public buildings, and one fourth of the houses. 
In about two hours afterward, fires broke out in different quarters, and 
raged with such violence for the space of nearly three days that the city 
was completely desolated. The earthquake happened on a holy day, when 
the churches and convents were full of people, very few of whom escaped." 
"The terror of the people was beyond description. Nobody wept: it was 
beyond tears. They ran hither and thither, delirious with horror and aston- 
ishment, beating their faces ahd breasts, crying, ' Misericordia ! the worhPs 
at an end ! ^ Mothers forgot their children, and ran about loaded with cru- 
cifixed images. Unfortunately, many ran to the churches for protection ; but 
in vain was the sacrament exposed ; in vain did the poor creatures embrace 
the altars ; images, priests, and people were buried in one common ruin." 
"Ninety thousand persons are supposed to have been lost on that fatal day." 

9. What was to follow the great earthquake ? 

" And the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood." 
Verse 12, latter part. This refers to the dark day and night of May 19, 1780, 
when the darkness and gloom were such as to give the general opinion that 
the day of judgment was at hand. See Pres. Dwight, in Connecticut Histor- 
ical Collections, and other authors quoted in reading, "Our Lord's Great 
Prophecy," p. 35. 

10. What was the next event under this seal ? 

" And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely 
figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." Verse 13. This was fulfilled in 
the wonderful meteoric shower of Nov. 13, 1833. Describing the scene in 
the vicinity of Niagara Falls, one writer says : " No spectacle so terribly grand 
and sublime was ever before beheld by man as that of the firmament descend- 
ing ittfie7y torrents over the dark and roaring cataract.'''' — Our First Cent- 
^^'7» /• 330- 
Note. — Henry Dana Ward, writing for the Journal of CommercA, in regard to 
the falling stars of Nov. 13, 1833, said (issue of Nov. 15, 1833) : "Were I to 
hunt through nature for a simile, I could not find one so apt to illustrate the 



IVAL S^N^U SLI\\.S. 411 



appearance of the heavens, as that which St. John uses in the prophecy. 
[Rev. 6 : 13.] The falling stars did not come as if from several trees shaken, 
but as from one ; those vi^hich appeared in the east, fell toward the east ; 
those which appeared in the north, fell toward the north ; those which ap- 
peared in the west, fell toward the west ; and those which appeared in the 
south, fell toward the south. And they fell not as the ripe fruit falls. Far 
from it ; but they flew, they were cast, like the unripe fruit which at first re- 
fuses to leave the branch ; and when, under a violent pressure, it does break 
its hold, it flies swiftly, straight off, descending ; and in the multitude falling, 
some cross the track of others, as they are thrown with more or less force ; 
but each one falls on its own side of the tree." See illustration, p. 66. 

11. What was to follow the sign of falling stars ? 

" And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together : and every mount- 
ain and island were moved out of their places." Verse 14. We are now 
standing between the two — the last of the signs in the heavens, and the re- 
moval of the heavens and the solid earth out of their places. The signs that 
mark the approach of the Saviour and the dissolution of earthly things are all 
in the past, and the world awaits the sound of the last trump as the closing 
scene in the thrilling drama. Then the wicked of every class will fly to the 
caverns and fissures of the rocks, in a fruitless attempt to hide theTr guilt from 
Him who sits on the throne. 

12. After the sealing work brought to view in Rev. 7, which takes 

place under the sixth seal, how is the seventh seal introduced ? 

" And when he had opened the seventh seal, there zuas silence in ]ieaven about the 
space of half an hour." Rev. 8:1. 
Note. — The sixth seal introduced the events connected with the second coming 
of Christ. The seventh must refer to that event, and its accompanying ef- 
* feet. When Christ comes, all the holy angels will accompany him. Matt. 
25 : 31. If all these celestial harpers leave the heavenly courts, it follows that 
silence will reign in heaven during their absence. A half-hour of prophetic 
time would be about seven days. See reading on " A Remarkable Symbol," 
p. 29. 



e^T may be at morn, when the day is awaking, 
^ When sunlight thro' darkness and shadow is breaking. 
That Jesus will come in the fullness of glory 
To receive from the world his own. 

It may be at mid-day, it may be at twilight, 
It may be, perchance, that the blackness of midnight, 
Will burst into light in the blaze of his glory. 
When Jesus receives his own. 

O joy ! O delight ! should we go without dying, 
No sickness, no sadness, no dread, and no crying. 
Caught up through the clouds with our Lord into glory, 
When Jesus receives his own. 







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HAT title is given the last book of the Bible ? 

" The Revelation of Jesus Christ." Rev. i : I. 
2. For whom is all revelation given? 

"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God ; but those things ivhich are re- 
vealed belong unto us and to our children forever.'''' Deut. 29 : 29. 

3. For what purpose was the Revelation given? 

"The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shozu ttnto his serv- 
ants things which must shortly come to pass.'' '' Rev. I : I. 

4. What great event, revealed therein, is to '' shortly come to pass " ? 

"Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also 
which pierced him ; and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him." 
Rev. 1:7; Matt. 24 : 30. 
Note. — As the most important events revealed in this book, are those connected 
with the second coming of Christ, the greater part of this prophecy must have 
its application in the very last days. 

5. What encouragement is given to induce all to study the book of 

Revelation ? 

"■ Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and 
keep those things which are written therein ; for the time is at hand." 
Verse 3. 

6. To whom was the book dedicated ? 

" John to the seven churches which are in Asia." Verse 4. 

7. What were the names of these seven churches ? 

"What thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are 
in Asia ; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Fergamos, and unto 
Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.'''' 
Verse 11. 

[413] 



414 \i\\iV.^ HLN\^\UGS, 



Note. — The seven churches, and the messages addressed to them, apply to 
seven distinct periods of the Christian church, reaching from the beginning of 
Christ's public ministry to his second advent. For the following reasons the 
application of these messages cannot be made to the seven literal churches 
which bore the above names : {a.) The entire book of Revelation was dedi- 
cated to the seven churches (Rev. I : 4, ll, 19 ; 22 : 18, 19) ; but, {d.) the 
book was no more applicable to them than to other Christian churches in 
Asia Minor, some of which were located right among the seven named. 
(c.) Only a small portion of the book of Revelation could have an application 
to the seven churches named, or to any class of Christians in John's day, 
as most of the events predicted therein were many hundreds of years in the 
future when these churches existed, {d.) The position of the Son of man in 
the midst of the seven churches, denotes his care and tender regard for his 
followers; but (^.) his promise of such guidance and protection was not to 
any one class of his followers, but to all of them, — " Lo, I am with you al- 
way, even unto the end of the world." 

An opinion has been held by some commentators of note, which may be 
given in the M'ords of Vitringa : " That under this emblematical representation 
of the seven churches of Asia, the Holy Spirit has delineated seven different 
states of the Christian church, which would appear in succession, extending 
to the coming of our Lord, and the consummation of all things. That 
this is given in descriptions taken from the names, states, and conditions of 
these churches, so that they might behold themselves, and learn both their 
good qualities and their defects, and what admonitions and exhortations were 
suitable for them." — Cofupreh-ensive Commentary, under Rev. 2. 

" They are prophetical of the churches of Christ, in the several periods of 
time, until he appears again." — Dr. Gill. 

8. By what title is the first state of the church distinguished ? 

" Unto the angel of the cJnirch of Ephesus write." Rev, 2 ; i. The meaning of 
" Ephesus '■ is desirable : and fitly describes the character and condition of the 
church in its first state, when its members received the doctrine of Christ in 
all its purity, and also when they enjoyed the benefits and blessings of the 
gifts of the Holy Spirit See dates in the accompanying diagram, showing 
the beginning and close of the seven periods. 

9. After commending this church for their good works, what charge 

did the Lord bring against them? and with what admonition 
did he accompany it ? 

"Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 
Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do tho 
first works." Verses 4, 5. 

o. By what name was the second state of the church designated? 

" And unto the angel of tJie church in Smyrna yvr lie.'' ^ Verse 8. The meaning of 
"Smyrna" is myrrh, or sweet-smelling savor, and applies to the period of 
time in which history shows that several millions of the saints of God suffered 
martyrdom under pagan Rome. The most severe of "the ten bloody perse- 
cutions" took place under Diocletian, between the years 302 and 312 A. D., 
a period of ten prophetic days, which are so many literal years. 



1V\L SLNJ^U CV\V)ROV\LS. 415 

11. How is that period of tribulation referred to ? 

"Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the Devil shall cast 
sojiie of you into prison, that ye may be tried ; and ye shall have tribulation 
ten days ; be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life." 
Verse lo. 

12. Under what name does the Saviour address the third state of the 

church ? 

"And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write." Verse 12. The meaning 
of "Pergamos" is hight, or elevation, and fitly represents that period of the 
Christian church, beginning with the /r^^'^^^rt'iffs' conversion of Constantine, the 
heathen emperor, in A. D. 323. From that point of time, the same power 
which had put the Christians to death, was turned in their favor. Rewards 
and inducements in the way of promotion to office in the government and 
otherwise, were held out to influence the people to become Christians, thus 
bringing a flood of worldliness and corruption into the church. Many of the 
heathen rites and ceremonies were at that time adopted into the Christian re- 
ligion, including the heathen festival, Sunday (sun's day), which was then 
foisted upon the Christian church, resulting, some centuries later, in its taking 
the place of the Sabbath of the Bible. See any of the leading cyclopedias, 
art. Sunday. 

13. In what words was this church commended for its faithfulness ? 

" I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is : and thou 
holdest fast my nai7ie, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein 
Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan 
dwelleth." Verse 13. Antipas comes from two Latin words, anti, opposed to, 
2ind papas, father, or pope, and denotes a class of people who were opposed 
to papal supremacy, for which cause they suffered martyrdom during the fifth 
century. 

14. What significant title was given to the fourth state of the church? 

"And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write." Verse 18. " Thyatira " 
means song of labor, or sacrifice of cojttrition, and points out the condition of 
God's people during that long, dark, bloody period of 1260 years, beginning 
with the establishment of the papacy in A. D. 538, and closing with the down- 
fall of that power in 1798. During that time, more thanyf/Vj/ millions of the 
saints of God were put to death in the most cruel manner that wicked men and 
demons could invent. (See "Fox's Book of Martyrs," or any work on relig- 
ious persecution.) Our Saviour referred to this time in his wonderful prophecy 
recorded in Matt. 24, in these words : "For then shall be great tribulation, 
such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever 
shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh 
be saved ; but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened," The trib- 
ulation of the 1260 years was cut short by the rise and progress of the Reforma- 
tion from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. 



416 ^\^LL R^K\)\H<:^S. 



15. What promise did God leave for these persecuted ones, with refer- 

ence to their persecutors ? 

" But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, 
and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the na- 
tions : and he shall rule them with a rod of iron ; as the vessels of a potter 
shall they be broken to shivers : even as I received of my Father." Verses 
25-27. 

16. By what name is the fifth state of the church addressed ? 

"And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write." Rev. 3:1. " Sardis " 
means song of Joy, or thai which remaijis. A cause for joy at that time was 
the fact that the great tribulation of the people of God was at an end. It was 
only the result of the Reformation that there were any of God's people remain- 
ing. (Matt. 24 : 21, 22, previously quoted.) The Sardis church continued 
from the close of the papal power, A. D. 1798, until the fulfillment of the signs 
given by Christ in Matt. 24 : 29-34, which were completed in the falling stars 
of 1833. Our Lord declared that this sign should mark the time of the last 
generation. 

17. What endearing title is given to the sixth state of the church? 

"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write." Verse 7. "Philadel- 
phia" means brotherly love, and applies to that state of the church under the 
preaching of the first angel's message. See reading on that subject, p. 98. 

18. What part of the message to this church shows that a portion, at 

least, of those living during that time will be alive to witness the 
Lord's coming? 

'■'■Behold, I come qtdckly : hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy 
crown." Verse 11. 

19. In what solemn words does the Lord address those who live in the 

seventh and last state of the church? 

" And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write : These things saith the 
Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. 
I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot : I would thou wert 
cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, 
I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and in- 
creased with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest not that thou 
art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked : I counsel thee 
to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich ; and white rai- 
ment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do 
not appear ; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. As 
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous, therefore, and repent." 
Verses 14-19. " Laodicea " signifies the judging of the people, or, according 
to Cruden, a just people. This church exists in the time of the judgment (see 
readings on "The Judgment," and "The First Angel's Message "), and con- 
sequently under the last message of mercy to the world. This is the third 
angel's message, on which see reading on p. 107. 



1V\L SLNJLH CUVi\\CV\^S. 417 

When this message is delivered, how near is the Lord's coming? 

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any man hear my voice, and open the 
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Verse 
20. Compare this text with Matt. 24 : 32, 33. 

Will the Lord find a "just people " when he returns to earth ? 

'And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the Mount Sion, and with him an hun- 
dred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their fore- 
heads." " And in their mouth was found no guile ; for they are without fault 
before the throne of God." Rev. 14 : i, 5. 



<^-^ 



fHE Church has waited long 

Her absent Lord to see ; 
And still in loneliness she waits, 

A friendless stranger she. 

How long, O Lord our God, 

Holy and true and good, 
Wilt thou not judge thy suffering Church, 

Her sighs and tears and blood ? 

Saint after saint on earth 

Has lived and loved and died ; 

And as they left us, one by one, 
We laid them side by side. 

We laid them down to sleep, 

But not in hope forlorn ; 
We left them but to slumber there 

Till the last glorious morn. 

We long to hear thy voice. 

To see thee face to face. 
To share thy crown and glory then, 

As now we share thy grace. 

Come, Lord, and wipe away 

The curse, the sin, the stain. 
And make this blighted world of ours 

Thine own fair world again. 



27 



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The Serpen ^i^umpets, 




HAT is the signification of the number seven in the book of 
Revelation ? 

i' It signifies the whole of that of which it speaks, either in its different 
manifestations, or in its divisions, 

2. When seven periods are symbolized in the New Testament, 
what time seems to be covered ? 

The time between the first and second advents of Christ. 

3. How can we understand the nature of the events intended in each 

line of prophecy ? 

By some statement of the prophecy itself. For instance, under the fifth seal 
(Rev. 6 19) the persecutions and triumphs of God's people are referred to. 

4. What is the nature of the events symbolized by the trumpets ? 

Under the sixth trumpet (Rev, 9 : 16, 17), literal armies are represented as going 
out to battle. This shows that political conquests are here intended. The 
trumpet is a symbol of war. Jer. 4 : 19 ; Joel 2:1- 

5. What were the first political conquests of note after this revelation 

was made to John on the isle of Patmos ? 

The wars of Northern barbarians, by which Western Rome was divided into ten 
kingdoms. 

6. Did the places where the warfare was conducted, and the nature 

of the conquests, correspond with the symbols introduced ? 

They did. The first was on land (Rev. 8 ; 7) ; the second was on the sea (verses 
8, 9) ; and the third was along the streams and rivers (verses 9, 10). 

[419I 



420 B\^^'L RL^D\HG.S. 



7 What is represented by a third part of the earth m Rev. 8 : 7, 
8,9, 12? 

A third part of Rome. Rome was a unit kingdom until after the death of Con- 
stantine, who willed it to his three sons. To Constantius he gave Constanti- 
nople and the Eastern third ; to Constantine II.. the Western third, includ- 
ing Britain, Gaul, and Spain ; to Constans, the middle third, including 
Italy, Illyricum in Europe, and Africa See Sabine's Ecclesiastical His- 
tory, p. 155. 

8. How was the language concerning the first trumpet (Rev. 8 : 7) 
fulfilled? 

By the wars of Alaric the Goth, from 395 to 412 A. D. Bloodshed and fire 
marked his track. Speakmg of his ravages, with their results. Gibbon says : 
"The Gothic nation was in arms, . . . The fertile fields of Phocis and 
Boeotia were instantly covered by a deluge of barbarians ; who massacred the 
males, . . . and drove away the beautiful females, with the spoil and cattle 
of the flaming villages. The travelers who visited Greece several years after- 
ward, could easily discover the deep and bloody traces of the march of the 
Goths." The poet Claudian pathetically lamented that "his trees, his old 
contemporary trees, must blaze in the confiagraiion of the whole country.'" 
Note the words of the prophecy, " The third part of the trees was burned up.'' 
"The dark cloud, which was collected along the coast of the Baltic, burst in 
thunder upon the banks of the upper Danube. . . , The subjects of Rome, 
unconscious of their approaching calamities, enjoyed the state of quiet and 
prosperity, which had seldom blessed the frontiers of GauL Their flocks and 
herds were permitted to graze in the pastures of the barbarians. . . . The 
banks of the Rhine were crowned, like those of the Tiber, with elegant houses 
and well-cultivated farms. . . . This scene of peace and plenty was sud- 
denly changed into a desert, and the prospect of the smoking ruins could alone 
distmguish the solitude of nature from the desolation of man. . . . The 
streets of the city were filled with dead bodies. . . . The flames, which 
encountered no obstacle in the disorder of the night, consumed many private 
and public buildings." — Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chaps. 
30, ji. "The union of the Roman empire was dissolved; its genius was 
humbled in the dust ; and armies of unknown barbarians, issuing from the 
frozen regions of the North, had established their victorious reign over the 
fairest provinces of Europe and Africa." — Idem, chap, ^j, closing sentence. 

9 What resulted from this warfare against the city of Rome, and that 
third of the empire ? 

It was overthrown, and divided into a few great monarchies. See Mitchell's 
"Ancient Geography," pp. 143-149, 

10 How was the language concernmg the second trumpet (Rev. 8 • 
8, 9) fulfilled ? 

By the conquests of Genseric the Vandal, from 429 to 468 a. d. His con- 
quests were by sea. In a single night he destroyed, by fire, more than half 
of the Roman fleet, which consisted of 1,113 ships, and more than ioo,ocx) 



men. (See " Milnian's Gibbon's Rome," chap. 36.) He is compared in the 
prophecy to "a great mountain burning with fire," "cast into the sea." 
Gibbon says, " Genseric, a name which, in the destruction of the Roman em- 
pire, has deserved an equal rank with the names of Alaric and Attila." 
Gibbon further says of Genseric, " He cast his eyes toward the sea ; he re- 
solved to create ? naval power, and his bold resolution was executed with 
steady and active perseverance." — Mibnari' s Gibbon'' s Rome, chap. j6, first 
part. History styles him the "terrible Genseric ;" and hy fire and sword he 
made general desolation wherever he went. From the port of Carthage he 
made many piratical sallies, and among other things he twice destroyed the 
entire Roman fieet by fire, thus becoming the terror of the sea. How ac- 
curately this fulfills the prophecy, that he was like a '•'■ 7)iountain burning 
with fire,'''' " cast into the sea ".^ 

11. By what was the prophecy concerning the third trumpet (Rev. 8 : 

10, 11) fulfilled? 
By the tormenting and harrassing conquests of Attila the Hun. His conquests 
were conducted by fire and pillage along the Rhine and its tributary streams, 
closing at the Alps, the fountain, or source, of the rivers. He styled himself 
"the scourge of God," and said that grass would never grow where his 
horse had trod. His greatest battle was at Chalons in Gaul, where he 
left 300,000 dead on the field. His career was short, like a burning lamp sud- 
denly extinguished. (See " Milman's Gibbon's Rome," chap. 34, first part.) 
Mr. Barnes says: "In the manner of his appearance, he (Attila) strongly 
resembled a brilliant meteor flashing in the sky." Smith, in his "Dictionary 
of Christian Biography," art. Attila, states : " The rapid series of events be- 
tween the Hunnish attack on the Eastern empire in 441 and the battle of 
Chalons in 451, has been compared to a deluge of rain, which sweeps a dis- 
trict, and leaves no further trace than the debris which the torrent had washed 
down." 

12. What is symbolized by the sun, moon, and stars under the fourth 

trumpet (Rev. 8:12)? and by whom were these lights ex- 
tinguished ? 
The three powers in the Roman empire were the emperor, the consulate, and 
the senate, called in the vision the sun, moon, and stars. Smith says : "The 
significance of Odoacer's place in history is due to two facts : that by him the 
separate line of Western emperors was extinguished, and the first German 
kingdom established." — Dictionary of Christian Biography, art. Odoacer. 
Thus the third of the Roman sun that pertained to the West was smitten. The 
emperor Justinian, in 541 A. D., abolished the consulship, and in 552 A. D. 
destroyed the senate in the Western third of Rome. Thus was the third of 
Rome's moon and stars destroyed, completing the events of this trumpet, and 
accurately fulfilling the prophecy. 

13. What did John see between the sounding of the fourth and the 

fifth trumpets ? 
" And I beheld, and heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying 
with a loud voice, Woe, woe, woe, to the inhabiters of the earth, by reason of 
the other voices of the trumpet of the three angels, which are yet to sound ! " 
Rev. 8 : 13. 



422 B\^\.^ RLf\^\HGS. 



14. What, then, do we call the last three of the trumpets ? 
Woe trumpets. 

15. After the extinction of the Roman empire in theWest, what arose 

to exasperate and perplex the Romans ? 

Mohammedanism. 

16. What fulfilled the predictions in Rev, 9 : i, 2 ? 

Chosroes, the Persian, while he continued ruler, checked the progress of the Mo- 
hammedans ; but a warfare ensued between the Persians and the Romans, by 
which both became weakened, and Chosroes and the Persians were defeated. 
In his defeat, the way was opened for the baneful spread of the cloud of 
errors of Mohammed, called, in the vision, " Smoke from the bottomless pit." 
In the language of Gibbon, "Placed on the verge of the two great empires of 
the East [Rome and Persia], Mohammed observed with secret joy the prog- 
ress of their mutual destruction." — Mihnan's Gibbon'' s Rome, chap. 46. 

17. What is the meaning of the term " bottomless pit " ? 

" The meaning of this term may be learned from the Greek abussos, which is de- 
fined, 'Deep, bottomless, profound,' and may refer to any waste, desolate, 
and uncultivated place. It is applied to the earth in its original state of 
chaos. Gen. I : 2. In this instance it may appropriately refer to the 
unknown wastes of the Arabian desert, from the borders of which issued the 
hordes of Saracens, like swarms of locusts. And the fall of Chosroes, the 
Persian king, may well be represented as the opening of the bottomless pit, 
inasmuch as it prepared the way for the followers of Mohammed to issue from 
their obscure country, and propagate their delusive doctrines with fire and 
sword, till they had spread their darkness over all the Eastern empire." — 
Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation, p. 48J. 

18. To what do the locusts of verse 3 refer ? 

To the swarms of Saracens that issued from the wilderness of Arabia at the call 
of Mohammed, literally growing up, or issuing from the false doctrine of 
Mohammed, represented by this smoke. Their power as scorpions is strik- 
ingly seen in their vigorous and speedy attacks upon, and overthrow of, their 
enemies. 

19. How was the command of verse 4 — "that they should not hurt 

grass of the earth," etc. — fulfilled? 

When Mohammed died, Abubeker succeeded to the head of the Mohammedans, 
and about the first act of his authority was to issue a circular letter to all the 
tribes of Arabia, containing the following : "When you fight the battles of 
the Lord, acquit yourselves like men, without turning your backs ; but let not 
your victory be stained with the blood of women and children. Destroy no 
palm-trees, nor burn any fields of corn. Cut down no fruit-trees, nor do any 
mischief to cattle, only such as you kill to eat." Thus was the prophecy lit- 
erally fulfilled, that they should not hurt any green thing. 



20. How are verses 6-9 shown to be fulfilled, when applied to the Sar- 

acens, or Arabs ? 

The attacks of the Saracens were so severe that death itself would have been 
sweet to their enemies as compared with their distress ; and the locusts, shaped 
"like unto horses prepared unto battle," and with faces "as the faces of 
men," are a symbol of the Arabian horses and horsemen. The Arabian 
horse takes the lead of the world, and skill in horsemanship is the leading art 
of Arabia. And in these prophetic scenes the horsemen of Arabia were the 
chief actors, as the Saracens fought almost altogether on horseback, and so 
verse 9 says, " The sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many 
horses running to battle." As indicated in verse 8, the Arabs gloried in 
long hair, the same as women. To the truth of this assertion, Pliny and 
others testify. 

21. How long was this power to hurt men? 

" And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be 
tormented five months : and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, 
when he striketh a man." "And they had tails like unto scorpions, and 
there M'ere stings in their tails : and their power was to hurt men five months." 
Verses 5, 10. 

22. When would this period of five months begin? 

Verse li states that " they had a king over them," and they could not do any well- 
defined work at "hurting" until this kmg should be enthroned. In the language 
of another, " From the death of Mohammed until near the close of the thir- 
teenth century, the Mohammedans were divided into various factions under 
several leaders, with no general civil government extending over them all. 
Near the close of the thirteenth century, Othman founded a government, 
which has since been known as the Ottoman government, or empire, extend- 
ing over all the principal Mohammedan tribes, consolidating them into one 
grand Monarchy." — Thoughts on Daniel and the Revelation^ p. ^Sg. 

The sultan, or king, of the Mohammedans is also their high priest, and in this 
twofold capacity is the protector and chief propagator of their religion, and is 
thus pre-eminently the angel, or messenger, of the "bottomless pit," from 
whence this religion arose. His name, as given in both Hebrew and Greek, 
means the destroyer : and true to his name. Gibbon says of him, " The blood 
of 130,000 Christians was a grateful sacrifice to the Arabian prophet." — Alil- 
inan's Gibbon'' s Rome, chap. 57, And these were only a part of those he de- 
stroyed. 

23. When did Othman make his first assault on the Greek third of the 

empire ? 

According to Gibbon, Othman first entered the territory of Nicomedia on the 27th 
of July, 1299. This would be the time to commence the count of "five 
months," as he could not be said to " hurt" men till he began his wars against 
them. 



424 B\^V.L ^^K^\HG.S. 



24. Beginning with the above date, when would this period of five 

months end ? 

'J'he month used in the Bible has thirty days, and five months would be 150 days. 
In prophecy a day stands for a year (see reading, " A Remarkable Symbol," p. 
29), hence commencing July 27, 1299, the 150 years would reach to July 27, 
1449. During this time the Turks were engaged in a constant warfare with 
the Greek part of the Roman empire, yet they did not conquer it. They 
were only allowed to "hurt" men. But in 1449, the end of this 150 years, a 
remarkable change came. 

25. What is stated in verses 12 and 13? 

" One woe is past ; and, behold, there come two woes more hereafter. And the 
sixth angel sounded, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden 
altar which is before God." The sixth trumpet, or second "woe," here in- 
troduced, must begin where the last "woe " left off, which, as we have seen, 
was to end with the period in which they were only to hurt men. This 
period ended in 1449, and would be the time from which to date this sixth 
trumpet. 

26. What is said of the four angels of verse 14? 

" Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet. Loose the four angels which 
are bound in the great river Euphrates." These angels refer to the four lead- 
ing sultanies — Aleppo, Iconium, Damascus, and Bagdad — of which the 
Ottoman empire was composed. They were situated in the country watered 
by the river Euphrates. 

27. How were these angels, or propagators of the Mohammedan relig- 

ion, loosed ? 

They had been held by Constantinople, the throne of the Eastern emperors of Rome; 
but in the year 1449, John Palceologus, the Eastern emperor, died, leaving no 
children to take the throne, and his brother, Constantine XITT., "a heroic 
scion of a degenerate race, accepted the crown, after much hesitation, know- 
ing his total inability to withstand the Turks, and even then took the pre- 
caution of obtaining the sultan's consent before he exercised the imperial au- 
thority." (See " Library of Universal Knowledge," art. Palceologus.) Thus 
in the very year marked by the prophecy, these angels were loosed. The 
power that had held them voluntarily submitted, and thus acknowledged that 
its ability to hold them was gone. 

28. What is said of the army that the loosing of these angels would 

bring forth ? 

" And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thou- 
sand ; and I heard the number of them." Verse 16. 

Note. — Gibbon, in describing the Turkish army that went out at this time, does 
not attempt to give the number of horsemen, but says: "The myriads of 
Turkish horse overspread a frontier of six hundred miles, from Tauris to 
Arzeroum." — Miinian'' s Gibbon'' s Rome, chap. jy. 



29. What is said of the appearance of these horsemen, and of the 

deadly effect of their new mode of warfare ? 
"And thus I saw the horses in the vision, and them that sat on them, having 
breastplates of fire, and of jacinth, and brimstone : and the heads of the 
horses were as the heads of hons ; and out of their mouths issued fire, and 
smoke, and brimstone. By these three was the third part of men killed, by 
the fire, and by the smoke, and by the brimstone, which issued out of their 
mouths. For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails ; for their tails 
were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt." 
Verses 17-19. 
Note. — "Fire," as a color, stands for red, "jacinth" for blue, and "brim- 
stone" for yellow. And doubtless the "fire," "jacinth," and "brimstone" 
are a description of the Turkish uniform which was largely composed of red, 
blue, and yellow. The horses heads appearing as " lions," denote the strength, 
courage, and fierceness of the Turkish cavalry ; and the brimstone issuing from 
the mouths of the horses would well represent their fire-arms, a new mode of 
warfare just then introduced ; and as the Turk M'ould fire his short musket on 
horseback, it would appear to the distant beholder as though the "fire," 
"smoke," and "brimstone" came out of the horses' mouths. Gibbon, in 
his graphic description of the overthrow of the Eastern empire of Rome, 
very fittingly attributes the destruction of this nation, that had withstood the 
hostile attacks of ages, to the use of gunpowder by the Ottoman army. The 
horse's tail is a well-known Turkish standard ; and as the prophet beheld the 
Turks rallying around this peculiar ensign of power, he would at once be im- 
pressed with the thought that the power of this army was in some way con- 
nected with the horses' tails. 

30. How long was the Mohammedan supremacy to continue ? 

"And the four angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day, 
and a month, and a year, for to slay the third part of men." Verse 15. The 
Hebrews reckoned thirty days to the month, and twelve months to the year, 
making 360 days. But to prevent a disarrangement of the seasons, every 
third year a thirteenth month was added, which was composed of the time left 
over from that and the two preceding years. A year, however, was counted 360 
days, which, used prophetically, would signify 360 years ; a month, 30 years ; 
a day, one year ; an hour, one twenty-fourth part of a year, or fifteen days. Alto- 
gether it amounts to 391 years and fifteen days, literal time. Commencing 
July 27, 1449, which, as already shown, was the date when this woe trumpet 
began, the time specified would bring us to Aug. 1 1, 1840. To this definite 
date the prophet limited the uidependent reign of the Turkish, or Mohamme 
dan, power. Eld. Josiah Litch reached this conclusion, and made this appli- 
cation prior to 1840, announcing to the world when the time was to expire. 
The event was watched with interest by many who knew of his calculations ; 
and when the year 1840 came, the sultan found himself wasted beyond the 
hope of recovery in a war with Mehemet Ali, pasha of Egypt, and on Aug. 
II, 1840, he actually submitted to the dictation of the four great powers 
of Europe, — England, Russia, Austria, and Prussia. Since that time the 
Turkish empire has existed only by their sufferance. This forever seals the 
interpretation of this prophecy. 



426 ^\^LL RLN\5\UGS. 



31. What does the prophet parenthetically place between the sixth and 

seventh seals ? 
The events of the tenth chapter, and the first thirteen verses of the eleventh. 

32. What important events are predicted under the seventh seal ? 

" And the seventh angel sounded ; and there were great voices in heaven, saying. 
The kingdoms of this v^^orld are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of 
his Christ ; and he shall reign forever and ever. And the four and twenty 
elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and wor- 
shiped God, saying. We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, 
and wast, and art to come ; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, 
and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and 
the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldst 
give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that 
fear thy name, small and great ; and shouldst destroy them which destroy 
the earth. And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen 
in his temple the ark of his testament : and there were lightnings, and voices, 
and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail." Rev. 11 : 15-19. The 
closing scenes of earth's history and the judgment of the great day of God 
are here clearly brought to view. 

;^2,- In connection with what other event do these lightnings, and 
voices, and thunderings, and the earthquake, and great hail 
occur ? 

"And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great 
voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And 
there vv^ere voices, and thunders, and lightnings ; and there was a great earth- 
quake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earth- 
quake, and so great." Rev. 16 : 17, 18. 

Note. — It will be noticed that the seventh angel of the last quotation is not the 
same as the seventh angel of the trumpet series. In the last verse quoted, 
refei-ence is made to the seventh angel of those who are sent to pour out the 
seven last plagues. (See reading on page 251.) But we find some of the 
events that are said to transpire under the seventh, or last, trumpet angel, also 
occurring under the pouring out of the seventh, or last, plague, which shows 
that the seven last plagues will be poured out under the third woe, or seventh 
trumpet angel. Yet between the close of the second woe, August 11, 1840, 
and the beginning of the third woe, or the sounding of the seventh angel in 
1844, there was to be a little time called "quickly" (Rev. ii : 14), in which 
would go forth a world-wide proclamation, "Time shall be no longer," or, 
"The hour of his judgment is come." For evidence that such a message 
was proclaimed, see reading on page 98. 

34. Is there anything in the movements of the nations to indicate that 
we are about to see the fulfillment of Rev. 11 : 18 ? 

We have only to read the papers of the day to learn that all Europe is in con- 
tinual ferment, and seems to be ready for war at any time. Such mighty 
guns as are manufactured, should cause those who understand the import of 



■\V\L SL^JLH 1?.V)\^?L1S. 427 



all these signs, to tremble at the thought of their ever being called into action. 
At a recent meeting in England, Mr. Appleton, Secretary of the British and 
Foreign Arbitration Association, gave the following facts: "Europe has a 
standing army of 5,000,000 of the very best picked men, with a reserve 
force ready to be called into action that will bring the number to the as- 
tonishing count of 16,775,000." He further stated : "Throughout Europe 
for the past twenty-five years, states have been competing in a race of infamy 
for providing large armies and navies, while national budgets and national 
debts have, in consequence, increased fabulously." Mr. Bright, on the same 
occasion, said further : "I cannot help thinking that Europe is marching to 
some great catastrophe. . . . Russia can place 6,000,000 men in the field, 
and has a war expenditure of 79,000,000 pounds, . . . and Germany, a 
yearly war expenditure of 38,000,000 pounds." 

Having passed six of the trumpets, our own generation is brought face to 
face with the rapidly fulfilling events of the last link in this chain of prophecy. 
How important, then, that we give earnest heed to the word of God, and 
prepare for the scenes before us ! 



^ATCH, ye saints, with eyelids w^aking ; 
Lo ! the powers of heaven are shaking ; 
Keep your lamps all trimmed and burning, 
Ready for your Lord's returning. 

Lo ! the promise of your Saviour, 
Pardoned sin and purchased favor. 
Blood-washed robes and crowns of glory ; 
Haste to tell redemption's story. 

Kingdoms at their base are crumbling, 
Hark ! his chariot wheels are rumbling ; 
Tell, O tell of grace abounding. 
While the seventh trump is sounding. 

Nations wane, though proud and stately ; 
Christ his kingdom hasteneth greatly ; 
Earth her latest pangs is summing : 
Shout, ye saints, your Lord is coming. 

Sinners, come, while Christ is pleading ; 
Now for you he's interceding ; 
Haste, ere grace and time diminished. 
Shall proclaim the mystery finished. 









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Gi^t>t Pi^ominent J^ines of Pi^opbec\/*. 

fHE accompanying diagram embraces, in condensed form, all the preceding dia- 
grams shown in this book, which illustrate lines of prophecy. 

1. Beginning at the left of the top line, we have B. C. 606, the time when the Baby- 

lonian empire first appears in the field of prophecy, as brought to view in Daniel, 
chapters two and seven. This empire was succeeded in 538 by the empire of the 
Medes and Persians, and this by the Grecian in 331. Rome followed, being rec- 
ognized by the Bible as a universal power in B. c. 161, when the Jewish people 
came under its dominion. Passing by the cross, the division of Rome into ten 
kingdoms is reached between the years 35 1 and 483, from M'hich point the prophecy 
of Dan. 2, with a sudden bound, carries the mind to the consummation. See 
reading on page 17. 

2. But the prophecy of the 7th chapter supplements that of the second, and shows 

what is to take place between 483 and the time of the end. Beginning at 538, as 
shown by the short line under the first one, the papal supremacy of 1260 years 
extended to 1798, and was there cut short by the capture of Pope Pius VI. At 
that point the 7th chapter suddenly calls attention to the end. See reading on 
page 29. 

3. In a line of prophecy beginning with the 12th of Revelation, in which the same 

ground is covered, the United States is brought to view as "coming up" in 1798, 
the time when the other beast, the papacy, was going into captivity. Rev. 13 : 
10-17. Commencing its career in 1776, the two-horned beast, representing the 
United States, exists to the end, when both it and the papal beast are cast into 
destroying fire. Rev. 19 : 20. See reading on page 226. 

4. Passing back to a point between 351 and 483 A. D. on the top line, a perpendicular 

line is seen extending downward to a right angle, which marks the beginning of 
the seven trumpets in 395. The first four of these ended in 620, the fifth, in 1449, 
and the sixth, Aug. 11, 1840. In 1844, the seventh trumpet began to sound, 
which does not stop at the end, but covers the 1,000 years while the wicked are 
being judged, and ceases only when, at the end of that time, thewicked have been 
destroyed, and the earth is made new and becomes the abode of the saints. Fur- 
ther explanation of this prophetic line will be found on page 419. 

5. From the point where the sixth trumpet ended, Aug. ii, 1840, four years forward, 

was proclaimed the first angel's message. Connected with the loud cry of that 
message was given the second angel's message — "Babylon is fallen." In 1844, 
the third message of the series began to sound, from which point the three mes- 
sages continue as one great connected work to the end. They are represented by 
the three short lines in the square marked "Three Messages." See readings on 
these messages, pages 98-109. 

6 and 7. Going back once more on the upper line of the diagram, to the cross, and trac- 
ing the perpendicular line from that point downward, there are seen two horizontal 
lines. The first of these shows the chronology of the seven seals, and the second, 
that of the seven churches. An explanation of the first is found on page 407, 
and of the second on page 413. 

8. Returning for the last time to the top line of the diagram, and tracing downward 
the longest perpendicular line, there is seen the beginning of the 2300 years of 
Dan. 8 : 14, which reach from B. C. 457 to A. D. 1844, bringing us to the cleansing 
of the sanctuary, or the investigative judgment. See reading on page 75. When 
this judgment closes, the end comes, and with it the resurrection of the righteous 
dead, the translation of the righteous living (see reading on page 147), and the 
binding of Satan during the thousand years. Then comes the resurrection of the 
wicked, and their destruction, when the earth will be cleansed by the fire which 
destroys the wicked, and so become the fit abode of the saints through eternity. 
See diagram on page 218. [429] 




S there a promis-e for those who confess their sins ? 

' If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and 
to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." i John I : 9. 

2. To whom besides the Lord should one confess his sins ? 

"Confess your faults 07ie to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be 
healed. The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." 
James 5 .-16. 
Note. — All sins should be confessed to God, because the very smallest is a 
grievance to him ; but only those sins should be confessed to a fellow-man 
that have directly injured him. A sin that is against God only, should be 
confessed only to him, and man has no claim to a confession in such cases. 

3. If one tries to cover up a sin, and will not properly confess it, 

what effect will such a course have on the delinquent ? 

" He that covereth his sins shall not prosper ; but whoso confesseth and forsaketh 
them shall have mercy." Prov. 28 : 13. He may outwardly appear to pros- 
per, but spiritually he will not. 

4. Is it possible to hide a sin from God, by refusing to let it be 

known? 

" For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it alto- 
gether." Ps. 139:4; Heb. 4 : 13. 

^. How did David feel before he confessed his sins ? 

" When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 
For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me : my moisture is turned into 
the drought of summer." Ps. 32 :3, 4. 

6. What came to him after confession ? 

" I acknovv^ledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I 
will confess my transgressions unto the Lord ; and thou forgavest the iniquity 
of my siny Verse 5. 
[430] 



eouv^ss\OH. 431 



7. Who is the advocate of the sinner? 

"If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the right- 
eous ^ I John 2:1. It follows that if one is an advocate for another, the 
advocate must know all the case of the one for whom he is to plead. If any 
omission is made in stating the case in all its details, how can the advocate 
plead for such ? 

8. How fully did Israel confess to Samuel when they wished him to 

intercede before God in their behalf ? 
" And all the people said unto Samuel, Pray for thy servants unto the Lord thy 
God, that we die not ; for we have added unto all our sins this evil, to ask us 
a king.'''' I Sam. 12 : 19. Probably Samuel knew before that they had com- 
mitted that particular wrong ; but he wanted them to feel it before he could 
really intercede in their behalf. Even so the Lord wishes all now to specify 
their wrongs, that he may know they have a genuine sorrow for each one com- 
mitted. 

9. How ought one to feel as he confesses his sins ? 

" Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness : according unto 
the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions." Ps. 51:1. 

10. Will there be a time when every one will confess to God ? 

" For it is written. As T live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every 
tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of 
himself to God." Rom. 14:11, 12. 
Note. — The confessions here spoken of are those which will be made in the 
judgment, when every one will have to tell the exact truth regarding himself ; 
for a record of every word and act of his life will be there. If any one has 
refused to acknowledge his sins before, affirming that he could not see them, 
he will then see them just as the record has them marked. He will confess 
his sins when it is too late to obtain forgiveness for them. It is far better to 
acknowledge our faults now, and with the help of God put them away, while 
there is hope of salvation. 



e^ SEEK the mercy-seat, 
6^ Where thou dost answer prayer ; 
There humbly fall before thy feet, 
For none can perish there. 

Thy promise is my plea ; 

With this I venture nigh ; 
Thou callest burdened souls to thee, 

And such, O Lord, am I. 

Bowed down beneath my sin, 

By Satan sorely prest ; 
By wars without and fears within ; 

I come to thee for rest. 



5ji(^.;^.^^,^^^^^3^i^e^^i^=>.|.i,;^^ 





»y ^ »» = »» = »» = ** = 



= »» = »»=: ^^ == »Hi = *» ^ 




Regenep^ation. 

HAT was the mission of Christ to the earth ? 

"For the Son of man is come to seek and /<? save THAT which 7vas 
lost.''' I.uke 19 : 10. Not simply jnajt, but that, — ^// that was lost. 

2. P^rom what does Christ redeem us ? 

" Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a ctine for i/s.'" 
Gal. 3 : 13. 

3. AVho shall see God ? 

" Blessed are ilie pure in heart ; for they shall see God." Matt. 5 : 8. 

4. What relation must those who see God, sustain to him in this life ? 

" Beloved^ nozu are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall 
be ; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we 
shall see him as he is." I John 3 : 2. 

5. How does one become a child of God? 

" For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.'''' Gal. 3 : 26. 

6. And what is one said to be who has faith in Christ ? 

" Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.'''' i John 5:1. 

7. But what does living faith in Christ include? 

" For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.'''' 
James 2 ; 26. 

[432J 




PvLG.^UL^K^\OU. 433 



8. When is one's faith effectual ? 

" And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his coviviandments, 
and do those things that are pleasing in his sights I John 3 : 22. 

9. Why is it necessary to do the things that are pleasing to God, in 

order to have living faith ? 

" For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all 
things. Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have zue confidence to- 
ivard God.''^ Verses 20, 21. One cannot have confidence before God, if 
he knows he is guilty of constant violation of the law of God ; and therefore 
his faith is destroyed, because he rests under condemnation. 

10. But Still, will keeping the law justify any one? if not, why not? 

" Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight ; 
for by the law is the knozvledge of sin.'''' Rom. 3 : 20. 

11. How is one justified? 

" Therefore beingyW/Z/f^fl^ ^Kyvzz'M, we have peace with God through our Lord 
Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1. 

12. In what condition is one, before being justified? 

" For I was alive without the law once ; but when the commandment came, sin re- 
vived and I died. ' ' Rom. 7 : 9. 

13. How does God take away one's condemnation? 

" Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.'''' Eph. 
2:5. 

14. What does the apostle, in another place, call this quickening? 

" According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renew- 
ing of the Holy Ghost." Titus 3:5. To be regenerated is to be reborn — to 
be made alive after having died to the law of God. 

15. What is the evidence of one's regeneration? 

" We know that zve have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. 
He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." I John 3 : 14. 

16. Before man's fall, to what did he especially have access ? 

" And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to 
the sight, and good for food ; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden." 
Gen. 2 : 9. 

17. After Adam transgressed, what was done to him ? 

" So he drove out the man ; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden cher- 
ubim, and a fiaming sword which turned every way, to keep the zvay of the tree 
of life.'''' Gen. 3 124. 

18. What was cursed because of the fall ? 

" Cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of 
thy life." Verse 17. 



38 



434: ^\^LL RLK^\nGS, 



19. In the sin of our first parents, to Avhom did they yield their inher- 

itance ? 

"While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption; 
for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.'''' 2 Peter 
2 : 19. It is a universal law that when one is brought into bondage, all his 
possessions go into the hands of his captor. 

20. Did the earth (then man's inheritance) pass into the hands of 

Satan ? 

" And the Devil, taking him [Jesus] up into a high mountain, showed unto him 
all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the Devil said unto 
him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them : for that is de- 
livered tinto me ; and to whomsoever I will, I give it.'''' Luke 4:5, 6. This 
is said to have been a temptation to the Saviour. It could have been no 
temptation whatever, had not Satan told the truth in that matter ; for Christ 
could have had no motive for bowing to Satan except to get from him the 
usurped kingdom, which was created for himself. Col. I : 14-16. If Christ 
could have regained his kingdom by the act of bowing to Satan, rather than 
to suffer and die for it, we can conceive in that a temptation. 

2 1. After Jesus has purchased back the possession by his blood, will 
it be restored again to man ? 

" In whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of 
promise, which is the earnest [pledge] of our inheritance until the redemption 
of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." Eph. I : 13, 14. 

22. But in redeeming the possession, the earth must be cleansed from 

the curse, as well as man. How will this be done ? and what 
will be the result ? 

" Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens 
being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat. 
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a NEW 
EARTH, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2 Peter 3 : 12, 13. As man tainted 
with sin must die to sin, and become a new man, so the sin-cursed earth must 
undergo a change, and become new. This change in man is called regenera- 
tion, or the new birth. The earth also must be regenerated to become the 
abode of regenerated men. 

23. When will the regeneration of the earth take place ? 

"And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed 
me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his 
glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of 
Israel." Matt. 19 : 28. 

24. What will be the condition of the earth when redeemed? 

" For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the 
waters cover the sea," Hab. 2 : 14 ; Num. 14 : 21. 



\5.LG.^ULRN"\\0H. 435 



25. Will the earth ever be cursed again, when once redeemed? 

"And there shall be no more curse ; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall 
be ifi it ; and his servants shall serve him." Rev. 22 : 3. As the Lord comes 
in to dwell with the regenerated Christian, and he has evidence that the Lord 
loves him, so the earth will be the permanent abode of the Lamb of God, and 
his throne will be there. 

26. Will man regain the right to the tree of life which was forfeited 

through sin? 

" l]lessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree 
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Verse 14. 



I HAPPY day ! that fixed my choice 

' On thee, my Saviour and my God ; 

Well may this glowing heart rejoice, 

And tell its raptures all abroad. 

'T is done, the great transaction's done ; 

I am my Lord's, and he is mine ; 
He drew me, and I folio-wed on. 

Charmed to confess the voice divine. 

Now rest, my long-divided heart. 
Fixed on this blissful center, rest ; 

Nor ever from thy Lord depart. 

With him of every good possessed. 

High Heaven, that heard the solemn vow. 
That vow renewed shall daily hear. 

Till in time's latest hour I bow. 
And bless at last a bond so dear. 

And when the bright celestial train, 

From highest heaven to earth shall come ; 

Then with my Lord I'll rise, and reign 
P^orever in that happy home. 




IIS Pdou Widow 

/jjATH CAS T INMORlTHAHTH^Alt 




fi^ee*VV)ill Gf fellings. 



OW does God regard the covetous man ? 

"For the wicked hoasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, 
zvhoni the Lord abhorrelh.'''' V%. 10:3. 

2. What kind of men does God require to occupy responsible posi- 

tions in his work ? 

"Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, 
77ien of truths hating covetonsness ; and place such over them, to be rulers of 
thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." Ex. 
18 :2l. 

3. What warning does the Saviour give against covetousness ? 

"And he said unto them. Take heed, and beware of covetousness ; for a man's life 
consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Luke 
12 : 15, 

4. How did God regard the rich man who laid up his goods for his 

own ease ? 

"But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee ; 
then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided ? " Verse 20. 

5. What does Christ say of those who do as did the man in the par- 

able ? 

"So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." 
Verse 21. 

6. How much can one carry out of the world ? 

" For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing 
out.'''' I Tim. 6 : 7. 

[436] 



7. Who gives man power to get wealth ? 

"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God ; for it is he that giveth thee poiver 
to get wealth:' Deut. 8 : 18. 

8. What is said concerning those who trust in their riches ? 
"He that trusteth in his riches shall fall:' Prov. 11 128. 

9. What charge was Timothy required to give the rich ? 

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust 
in uncertain riches, bvit in the hving God." i Tim, 6:17. 

10. What ought they to do with their means ? 

"That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, wilhng to 
communicate." Verse 18. 

11. What will they thus do for themselves? 

" Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that 
they may lay hold on eternal life." Verse 19. 

12. By giving of one's substance to the Lord's work, what does he thus 

do? 

" Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine increase." 
Prov. 3 : 9. 

13. How does the Lord look upon the spirit of giving to the cause? 

"But to do good and to communicate forget not ; for with such sacrifices God is 
well pleased:' Heb. 13 : 16. 

14. Does the Lord keep in mind those who assist in his cause ? 

" For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have 
showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do 
minister." Heb. 6 : lo. 

15. If a person has but little of this world's goods, is he not excused 

from giving ? 

'■^ Every ?nan shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God 
which he hath given thee." Deut. 16 : 17. 

16. Then can it be the amount a man gives that is so acceptable to 

God? 

" For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a ?tian hath, 
and not according to that he hath not." 2 Cor. 8 : 12. 

17. What does one provide for himself who gives freely to the cause 

of God ? 

** Sell that ye have, and give alms ; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a 
treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither 
moth corrupteth. " Luke 12 133. 



438 VR^^-^^\LV. OVVLR\HG»S. 



If one's treasure has been transferred to heaven by giving to God's 

cause, where will his heart be ? 
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Verse 34, 
Note. — "Instead of burdening themselves in endeavors to accumulate wealth, 
Christ's disciples ought, when properly called to it, to part with their posses- 
sions, and distribute to their needy brethren. When this is done in faith and 
love, it insures to them a treasure, of which God himself is the guardian. In 
this manner they are secured from putting their ' money into a bag with holes,' 
or into one liable to wear out ; . . . for their treasure is laid up in heaven, 
out of the reach of change or danger ; and their hearts also become more and 
more heavenly." — Scott on Luke 12 : J4. 



Vi gracious Lord, I own thy right 

To every service I can pay. 
And call it my supreme delight 
To hear thy dictates, and obey. 

What is my being but for thee, — 
Its sure support, its noblest end ? 

'T is my delight thy face to see. 

And serve the cause of such a Friend. 

I would not sigh for worldly joy, 
Or to increase my worldly good ; 

Nor future days nor powers employ 
To spread a sounding name abroad. 

'T is to my Saviour I would live, — 
To him who for my ransom died ; 

Nor could all worldly honor give 
Such bliss as crowns me at his side. 

His work my hoary age shall bless 
When youthful vigor is no more ; 

And my last hour of life confess 
His saving love, his glorious power. 



■-^mm— 




^Ajidences of p^cceptanee vv)itb Qod. 

N what way will God manifest himself toward those who love 
him? 

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my 
words ; and my Father will love him, and zve will come unto him, and make 
our abode zuith him.'''' John 14 : 23. 

2. What relation is thus brought about between God and the one 
who loves him ? 
"I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they 
shall be my people. . . . And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my 
sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Cor. 6 : 16-18. 

3. Can such relation exist, and one not know it ? 

" Even the Spirit of truth ; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him 
not, neither knoweth him : but ye know hii7i ; for he dwelleth with you, and 
shall be in you,'''' John 14 : 17. 




FIRST EVIDENCE. 

4. What does the Lord give to every one who follows him ? 

" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give tint you : not as the world giveth, give 
I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 
Verse 27. 

5. He says, "Not as the world giveth." What does the world have 

to give those who have the Lord's peace ? 

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the 
world ye shall have tribulation ; but be of good cheer ; I have' overcome the 
world." John 16:33. 

[439] 



440 ^\^\-L R^KDVUGS. 



SECOND EVIDENCE. 

6. How will a truly converted man feel toward the law ? 

" For I delight in the lazv of God after the inward man." Rom. 7 : 22. 

7. What will the Lord do for him for thus regarding the law? 

" But his delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in his law doth he meditate day 
and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that 
bringeth forth his fruit in his season ; his leaf also shall not wither ; and 
whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." Ps. i : 2, 3. 

THIRD EVIDENCE. 

8. What principle will control the true child of God ? 

"And he answering said. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God^N\'Os\ all thy heart, and 
with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ; and thy 
neighbor as thyself.'''' Luke lo : 27. 

9. What relation does love hold to the law ? 

" Love worketh no ill to his neighbor : therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.'''' 
Rom. 13 : 10. 

10. What assurance is given to those who love one another ? 

"If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. 
Hereby knoiu we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us 
of his Spirit." i John 4 : 12, 13. 

FOURTH EVIDENCE. 

11. How will God prove every one he loves ? 

"As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." 
Rev. 3 : 19. 

12. How will such experience seem ? 

" Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: neverthe- 
less, afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them 
which are exercised thereby." Heb. 12 : 11. 

13. Why does the Lord chasten his children ? 

" For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure ; but he for 
our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.'''' Verse 10. 

FIFTH EVIDENCE. 

14. What will be the experience of those who open the door of their 

hearts and let Jesus in ? 

" If any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will 
sup with him, and he with me." Rev. 3 : 20. 



L\i\D^uc^s ov ^GGL?T^HOL ^nn go^. 441 

15. What were the feelings of the two disciples who talked with Jesus 
on the way to Emmaus ? 

" And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked 
with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures ? " Verse 32. 
Summary: (i.) If one is accepted of God, he will have peace with God; (2.) 
Will delight in God's law; (3.) Will carry out the principles of love; (4.) 
Will be chastened betimes for his own advancement; (5.) Will at times talk 
with Jesus, and have his heart burn within him at the gracious interviews. 



^^^^ 



KNOW that my Redeemer lives — 
What joy the blest assurance gives ! 
He lives, he lives, who once was dead : 
He lives, my everlasting Head ! 

He lives to bless me with his love. 
He lives to plead for me above, 
He lives my hungry soul to feed, 
He lives to help in time of need. 

He lives, and grants me daily breath ; 
He lives, and I shall conquer death ; 
He lives my mansion to prepare, 
He lives to bring me safely there. 

He lives, all glory to his name ! 
He lives, my Saviour, still the same ; 
What joy the blest assurance gives, — 
I know that my Redeemer lives ! 





Pp^aise and T"ban^sgiY>ing. 

[or what were all things created ? 

"Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for 
thou hast created all things, ^.w^l for thy pleasure they are and were created.^'' 
Rev. 4:11. 

Does man in his natural condition carry out the design of God ? 

■ For all have sinned, and co7ne short of the glory of God.'''' Rom. 3 ; 23. 

While in this state, what did the Lord do for us ? 

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, 
Ch?'ist died for us/^ Rom. 5 : 8. 

Through what is man permitted to come to repentance ? 

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering ; 
not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance f'' Rom. 
2 :4. 

What does Christ become to those who accept him ? 

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery 
among the Gentiles ; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.'''' Col. i : 27. 

When this grace is received, what will it cause one to do ? 

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and re- 
joice in hope of the glory of God. ' ' Rom. 5 ; 2. 

On what condition are we to remain members of Christ's house- 
hold? 

■ But Christ as a son over his own house : whose house are we, if we hold fast the 

confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end." Heb. 3 : 6. 
[442] 



o. How often, and for how much, should we render thanks to God ? 

" Giving thanks ahvays for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ." Eph. 5 : 20. 

9. The " all things " of the last text, includes our trials and disap- 
pointments. Why should we give thanks for them ? 

" And we know that c?// things work together for good to them that love God." 
Rom. 8 : 28. 

10. What did Paul and Silas do when put in prison for their faith ? 

" And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the 
prisoners heard them." Acts 16 : 25. 

11. How did the Lord show his pleasure at their course ? 

"And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison 
were shaken : and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's 
bands were loosed." Verse 26. 

12. After being imprisoned, and then beaten by order of the Jewish 

Sanhedrim, what did Peter and John do ? 

" And they departed from the presence of the counsel, rejoicing that they 7vere 
counted worthy to suffer shame for his name." Acts 5 : 41. 

13. When perplexities come, what should one do ? 

"Why art thou cast down, O my soul ? and why art thou disquieted within me ? 
Hope thou in God ; for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my counte- 
nance, and my God." Ps. 42 : 11. 

14. When properly offered, what does praise to God become? 

" Whoso off ere th praise ^7^rz/?^M vie; and to him that ordereth his conversation 
aright will I show the salvation of God." Ps. 50:23. Glorify. — "To 
make glorious in thought or with the heart, by ascribing glory to ; to acknowl- 
edge the excellence of; to render homage to; to worship; to adore." — 
Webster. 

15. Should our praise to God be confined to our secret devotions ? 

" My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation : I will pay my vows before 
them that fear him." Ps. 22 : 25. 

16. Why ought we thus to praise God? 

"My soul shall make her boast in the Lord : the humble shall hear thereof, and be 
glad.'' Ps. 34: 2. 

17. What does David exhort all to do ? 

" O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together.'''' Verse 3. 

18. What good example did he set which is worthy of imitation by us 

when with our brethren ? 

" Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my 
soul.'' Ps. 66 : 16. 



444 ?RK\S^ NU\) "\V\KU\^SGk\N\HG. 



19. What became of those, anciently, who were not thankful? 

" Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were 
thankful ; but became vain in their imaginations, aitd their foolish heart was 
darkened.'"' Rom. I : 21. 

20. What signal deliverance was once v -ought for God's people when 

they offered praise to him ? 

" And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the 
children of Ammoit, Moab, and Mount Seir, which were come against Judah ; 
and they were smitten.'''' 2 Chron. 20 : 22. 

21. How should one approach God in prayer? 

" Be careful for nothing ; but in everything by prayer and supplication zvitli thanks- 
giving let your requests be made known unto God." Phil. 4:6; Col. 4:2. 

22. What is the will of God in this matter concerning us ? 

'■'■ In everything give thanks ; for this is the zvill of God in Christ Jesus concerning 
you." I Thess. 5 : 18. 

23. What has our Saviour taught us to pray ? 

♦' Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven." Matt. 6 : 10. 



WORSHIP the Lord in the beauty of holiness, 
Bow down before him, his glory proclaim ; 

With gold of obedience, and incense of lowliness, 
Kneel and adore him, the Lord is his name. 

Low at his feet lay thy burden of carefulness. 

High on his heart he will bear it for thee. 
Comfort thy sorrows, and answer thy prayerfulness, 

Guiding thy steps as may best for thee be. 

Fear not to enter his courts in the slenderness 

Of the poor wealth thou wouldst reckon as thine : 

Truth in its beauty, and love in its tenderness. 
These are the off'rings to lay on his shrine. 

These, though we bring them in trembling and fearfulness. 

He will accept for the Name that is dear ; 
Mornings of joy give for evenings of tearfulness. 

Trust for our trembling, and hope for our fear. 





4- 



Qomfort in ^[fflietion. 

S'AS anything been left as a legacy to the righteous ? 

'■'■ Many are the afflictions of the righteous ; bu-t the Lord delivereth him 
out of them all." Ps. 34 : 19. '■'■Affliction and sorrozv are terms of wide and 
general application ; grief and distress have reference to particular cases. 
Affliction is the stronger term. The suffering lies deeper in the soul, and 
arises from some powerful cause, such as the loss of what is most dear — 
friends, health, property, etc." — Webster. All men have afflictions, but the 
person who gives up all for Christ is expected to have more than those of the 
opposite class. 

What ought those in affliction to have from their friends ? 

To him that is afflicted, pity should be showed from his friend." Job 6 : 14. 

If one visits, and shows pity toward those in affliction, what does 
it indicate that he possesses? 

Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the father- 
less and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the 
world." James I : 27. 

What did David say with reference to his affliction ? 

It is good for me that I have been afflicted ; that I might learn thy statutes." 
Ps. 119 : 71, 

Before he had affliction, what was his tendency ? 

Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy ^^•ord." Verse 67. 

[445] 



446 ^\^\-^ R^K\i\HC^S, 



6. When affliction came upon him, what did he consider it was for ? 

" Look upon mine affliction and my pain ; and forgive all my sins.''^ Ps. 25 : 18. 
The last clause of the text indicates that he attributed his affliction to the 
fact of his having sinned. 

7. How does God regard the cry of the afflicted ? 

" He heareth the cry of the afflicted." Job 34 : 28. 

8. With what feelings does the Lord look upon his children ? 

" Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." 
Ps. 103 : 13. 

9. What has the Lord promised to be to those who are oppressed ? 

"The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in ti^nes of trouble.'''' 
Ps. 9 : 9. 

10. When the Saviour Avas about to go away from the earth, what did 

he say he would send to his disciples ? 

" If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you ; but if I depart, I ivill 
send him unto you.'''' John 16 : 7. 

11. What is the Comforter called? 

" But when the Co7?if or ter 'is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, 
even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify 
of me." John 15 : 26. 

12. What has the Lord promised to the mourner? 

"Blessed are they that mourn ; for they shall be comforted.'''' Matt. 5 : \. 

13. When the mothers in Bethlehem were mourning for their children 

who had been slain by the decree of Herod, how did the prophet 
comfort them ? 

" Thus saith the Lord : Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears : 
for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord ; and they shall come again 
from the land of the enemy." Jer. 31 : 16 ; compare with Matt. 2 : 16-18. 

14. What does the apostle present as a comfort to those who have lost 

dear friends by death ? 

" For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep 
in Jesus will God bring with him. . . , Wherefore comfort one another with 
these words." i Thess. 4: 14-18. 

15. When one has received the Comforter in his heart, what use should 

he make of it? 

"Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them 
which are in afty trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are com- 
forted of God." 2 Cor. I : 4. 



COVJWOR^ \U (\VVUC1\0U. 447 

Note, — One who has passed through trouble and affliction himself, and received 
comfort from God, is better able to administer comfort to others who are in 
trouble, than he who has not been through the same ; for otherwise how 
would he know what words to use that would prove a balm to the afflicted ? 
God designs that every one shall use the Spirit given him in ministering to 
others, rather than in selfishly enjoying alone the comfort it brings. 

16. When Paul was in trouble, how did the Lord comfort him ? 

"Nevertheless God, that comforteth those that are cast down, comforted us //v the 
coi?iing of Titus.'''' 2 Cor. 7 : 6. 

17. When in affliction, how should one rest his case ? 

"And we know that all things zvork together for good to thein that love God/'' 
Rom. 8 : 28. If one loves God, he may rest assured that out of his affliction 
good will come. 

18. How did the bonds which were endured by Paul work for good ? 

"But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened 
unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel ; so 
that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other 
places." Phil. I : 12, 13. 

19. How does Christ exhort those who have tribulation in the world? 

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the 
world ye shall have tribulation ; but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the 
world.'''' John 16 : 33. 

20. What comforted the apostle in these troubles? 

"For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be com- 
pared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Rom. 8 : 18. 

2 1. What did he call the troubles that beset him? 

"For our light affiiction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more 
exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2 Cor. 4:17. 

fDEEM not they are blest alone 
Whose lives a peaceful tenor keep ; 
For God, who pities man, hath shown 
A blessing for the eyes that weep. 

The light of smiles shall fill again 

The lids that overflow with tears. 
And weary hours of woe and pain 

Are promises of happier years. 

For God has marked each sorrowing day. 

And numbered every secret tear. 
And heaven's long age of bliss shall pay 

For all his children suffer here. 

\N\^U[\M\ CViV.LtU 'dR^KH-^. 




l448] 



"FORBID THEM NOT." 





Pi^omises foi^ the G^^i^^^^:!!. 

HAT is the first commandment which contains a promise ? 

' '■Ho7tor thy father and mother ; which is the first commandment Math promise. ' ' 
Eph. 6 : 2. 

2. What is the promise connected with that commandment? 

" Honor thy father and thy mother ; that thy days may be /<?«^upon the land which 
the Lord thy God giveth thee." Ex. 20 : I2. 

3. What promise is made to children if they will hearken to the 

Lord ? 

"Come, ye children, hearken unto me : I will teach you the fear of the Lord.'''' 
Ps. 34: II. 

4. What is the fear of the Lord ? 

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of zvisdom : a good understanding have all 
they that do his commandments." Ps. iii : 10. 

5. How is a wise child, even though poor, regarded by the Lord? 

" Better is a poor and a wise child, than an old and foolish king, who will no more 
be admonished." Eccl. 4 : 13. 

6. What tender words did the Saviour speak in behalf of children ? 

" Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of such is the 
kingdom of heaven." Matt. 19 : 14. 

7. What did he do to the children to show that he loved them .? 

"And he took the?n tip in his arms, put his hands upon them, ajtd blessed tJiem.'''' 
Mark lo : 16. 



29 



449] 



450 VROH\SLS VOR IHL CVWVD^LH, 



8. How may all receive the Lord's blessing now ? 

" And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." 
Matt. 21 : 22. 

9. If children do this, and as they grow older, keep all oi God's com- 

mandments, what is promised ? 

" Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree 
of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Rev. 22 : 14. 



fEE Israel's gentle. Shepherd stand, 
^ With all engaging charms ! 
Hark ! how he calls the tender lambs, 
And folds them in his arms ! 

Permit them to approach," he cries, 
'* Nor scorn their humble name ; 
For 'twas to bless such souls as these 
The Lord of angels came." 

We bring them. Lord, with thankful hands. 

And yield them up to thee ; 
Joyful that we ourselves are thine, — 

Thine let our offspring be. 






- 


1 


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- 


1 


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Ill^lllll^lllll^ 






^„iii^ ^11 




"\ ^N\LL VViH\SH ■^H'L VJORLQ VOR THt\R ^\1\L ' 






^""^ 


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E 






I^engtb of the Dai/" of the [^oi^d. 

HAT is the character of the " day of the Lord " ? 

"The great day of the Lord is near, it is near, and hasteth greatly, 
even the voice of the day of the Lord ; the mighty man shall cry there 
bitterly. T/iat day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress." 
Zeph. I : 14, 15. 

Under which of the seven seals does this time of wrath begin ? 

' For the great day of his 
Rev. 6 : 12, 17. 



And I beheld when he had opened tJie sixth seal. ' 
M^rath is come ; and who shall be able to stand ? 



What signs were to appear in the heavens under this seal ? 

The sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood ; and 
the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig-tree casteth her untimely 
figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind." Verses 12, 13. See reading on 
" Our Lord's Great Prophecy," p. 35. 

What great events were these signs to precede ? 

Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and 
the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and 
the powers of the heavens shall be shaken ; and then shall appear the sign of 
the Son of man in heaven ; and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, 
and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power 
and great glory." Matt. 24 129, 30. 

Under which of the seven seals will the Lord come to earth ? 

' And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the 
space of half an hour." Rev. 8:1. See reading on "The Seven Seals," 
p. 407. 

How is the wrath of the day of the Lord to be manifested? 

' And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels having the 
seven last plagues ; for in them is filed up the wrath of God.'''' Rev. 15:1. 

[451] 



7. Are the most of these plagues to be poured out before the Lord 

comes ? 

"And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates. . . . 
Behold, I co77ie as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his gar- 
ments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." Rev. 16 : 12-15. ^^ i^ 
evident from these scriptures that the " day of the Lord" begins before the 
actual coming of Christ in the clouds of heaven. 

8. What great event will take place at his coming? 

" For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of 
the archangel, and with the trump of God ; and the dead in Christ shall rise 
first:' I Thess. 4: 16. 

9. How long after the righteous will the wicked be raised to life ? 

" And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the 
dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first 
resurrection." Rev. 20:4, 5. 

10. When the wicked come up again on the earth, what will they be 

incited to do ? 

" And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, 
and shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the 
earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle: the number of whom 
is as the sand of the sea.''' Rev. 20 : 7, 8. 

11. What will then take place ? 

" And they went up on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the 
saints about, and the beloved city : and fire cavie dozun front God out of 
heaven, and devoured them." Verse 9. 

12. What is this lake of fire called? 

" The lake which burnetii with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." 
Rev. 21 : 8. 

13. To what are the present heavens and earth reserved? 

"But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in 
store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly 
vieji." 2 Peter 3 : 7. Then when the fire from heaven destroys the wicked, 
the earth itself will also be burned. 

14. But will the day of the Lord reach to, and include, the burning of 

the earth ? 

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the 
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the eleinents shall melt with 
ferve7tt heat, the earth also; and the works that are therein shall be burned up. ' ' 
Verse 10. It is therefore plain that the phrase, "day of the Lord," refers to 
a time that begins before the coming of Christ, and extends a thousand years 
beyond, even till the time when the earth is renewed and given to the saints. 




I^citional Distinction, 



/ N what condition has God made all nations of the earth ? 

^ "And hath made of oite blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the 

^^ face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the 
bounds of their habitation." Acts 17 : 26. 

2. Does God recognize all men as his children, as some hold ? 

"Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me ; for I pro- 
ceeded forth and came from God : neither came I of myself, but he sent me." 
John 8 : 42. 

3. Why was man disinherited by his Creator ? 

" For we know that the law is spiritual ; but I am, carnal, sold under sin^ Rom. 
7 : 14. That is, man sold himself, through sin, to Satan. 

4. Then whose children are they who commit sin? 

"Ye are oi. your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." 
John 8 : 44 ; i John 3:8; Eph. 2 : 2, 3. 

5. How many of the nations are held guilty before God? 

" Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are un- 
der the law : that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become 
guilty before God.''* Rom. 3 : 19, 23. 

[453] 



454 ^\B^L RLN\^\UGS. 



6. In a sinful or unconverted state, what is the spiritual condition 

of all men ? 

"That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth 
of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and 
without God' hi the world.''^ Eph. 2:12. 

7. Though all men were lost through sin, how are they restored, or 

reconciled to God ? 

".And all things are of God, who hath reconciled its to himself by Jesus Christ.''^ 
2 Cor. 5:18. 

8. Did Christ die for any particular nation, or race of men ? 

" But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering 
of death, crowned with glory and honor ; that he by the grace of God should 
taste death for every man.'''' Heb. 2:9;! Tim. 4 : 10. 

9. How may all men equally put on Christ, and become the children 

of God? 

" For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of 
you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." Gal. 3 : 26, 27. 

10. On what condition are all men accepted as the children of God? 

" Marvel not that I said unto thee. Ye must be born agaiit.''^ John 3 : 7 ; I : 12, 13. 

11. Can those who are truly begotten of God, refuse to fellowship any 

one who is also born again ? 

" Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God : and every one that 
loveth him that begat, loveth hint also that is begotten of him.'''' I John 5:1; 
1:6, 7. 

12. What does God say to those who refuse to associate with persons 

of other races, whom God has cleansed ? 

" And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an unlawful thing for a man that 
is a Jew to keep company, or come unto one of another nation ; but God hath 
showed me that I should not call any man comjnon or unclean.'''' Acts lo : 28. 

13. When once i?i Christ, do race distinctions or castes still exist? 

" There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither 
male nor female : i.o\ ye are all one in Christ Jesus. ''^ Gal. 3 : 28. 

14. Was the gospel commission designed to be restricted to any par- 

ticular nations? 

" And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
creature.'''' Mark 16 : 15. 

15. Is the gospel restricted in its work to any race ? 

" He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that believeth not shall 
be damned." Mark 16 : 16 ; John 3:16; Rev. 22 : 17. 



HK'WOHKV. \)\S^\HCi\OU. " 455 

i6. Does God respect one nation or people more than another? 

" Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons ; but in every nation he 
that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.'''' Acts 
10:34, 35- 

17. To what extent must the hour of God's judgment-be proclaimed? 

" And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gos- 
pel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and 
kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give 
glory to him ; for the hour of his judgment is come." Rev. 14 : 6, 7. For 
further information on the work of this angel, see reading on "The First An- 
gel's Message," p. 98. 

18. Will some out of every nation and people be saved ? 

" Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, 
and tongue, and people, and nation.'''' Rev. 5 19. 

19. Will the redeemed out of these nations be clothed alike, and asso- 

ciated together around the throne of God ? 

" After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all 
nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and 
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands ; and 
cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the 
throne, and unto the Lamb." Rev. 7 : 9, lo. 

20. In the new earth, will all come up together on the Sabbath to 

worship before the Lord ? 

" For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before 
me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall 
come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to 
another, shall all Jlesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.^'' Isa. 
66 : 22, 23. 



tLL hail the power of Jesus' name ! 
3 Let angels prostrate fall ; 
Bring forth the royal diadem. 
And crown him Lord of all. 

Ye chosen seed of Israel's race, 
A remnant, weak and small. 

Hail him who saves you by his grace. 
And crown him Lord of all. 

Let every kindred, every tribe, 

On this terrestrial ball, 
To him all majesty ascribe. 

And crown him Lord of all. 




It should be ours, the oil and wine to pour 
Into the bleeding wounds of stricken ones ; 

To take the smitten, and the sick and sore, 
And bear them where a stream of blessing runs ; 

Instead, we look about — the way is wide, 
Aiid so we pass upon the other side. 




Gossiping. 

HAT does the ninth commandment forbid ? 

" Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor," Ex. 20 : 16. 
_-o The evident object of this commandment is to guard our conversation. 

^^ 2. What promise is given to those who fulfill its requirements? 

" To him that ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation of 
God." Ps. 50 123. 

3. How is such a man regarded ? 

" If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect inan, and able also to bridle 
the whole body." James 3 : 2. 

4. To what double use is the tongue put ? 

" Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and ctirsing. My brethren, these 
things ought not so to be." Verse 10. 

5. Can the tongue ever be brought where it will not need watching? 

" For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, 
is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind : but the tongue can no man tame ; 
it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." Verses 7, 8. 

6. What is one's duty, under the circumstances ? 

'■'■ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin; but 
yield yourselves unto God." Rom. 6 : 13. 

7. Through whom may we find deliverance from this law of sin in 

our members ? 

"But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and 
bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O 
wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? 
I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.^^ Rom. 7 : 23-25. 

[4563 



GkOSS\?\UO. 45Y 



8. Of what are one's words the index ? 

" Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Matt. 12 : 34. 

9. What will our words have to do with our standing in the judg- 

ment ? 

" For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be con- 
demned." Verse 37. 

10. What special sin is covered by the ninth commandment ? 

"Thou shalt not go up and down as a tale-bearer among thy people ; neither shalt 
thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor : I am the Lord." Lev. 19 : 16. 

11. What are the words of a tale-bearer like ? 

"The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds.'''' Prov. 26 : 22. 

12. What is their effect? 

" He that covereth a transgression seeketh love ; but he that repeateth a matter 
separateth very friends.'''' Prov. 17 : 9. 

13. What would follow if each attended to his own affairs only ? 

"Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out : so where there is no tale-bearer, the 
strife ceaseth.'''' Prov. 26 : 20. 

14. What is that word like which is fitly spoken ? 

" A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.''^ Prov. 25 : ii. 

15. To whom are our words all known ? 

" For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.'''' 
Ps. 139 : 4. 

16. In view of the shortness of time, what should our conversation 

be? 

"Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons 
ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting 
unto the coming of the day of God." 2 Peter 3 : 11, 12. 



%'^>~ 




Am I a soldier of the cross, 

A follower of the Lamb? 
And shall I fear to own his cause? 

Or blush to speak his name ? 

Must I be carried to the skies 

On flowery beds of ease, 
Whilst others fought to win the prize, 

And sailed through bloody seas ? 

Are there no foes for me to face ? 

Must I not stem the flood ? 
Is this vile world a friend of grace, 

To help me on to God ? 

Sure I must fight if I would reign ; 

Increase my courage. Lord ; 
I'll bear the toil, endure the pain. 

Supported by thy word. 





IJael^sliding. 

HAT constitutes backsliding, and how does God regard it? 

"Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall 
reprove thee ; know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, 
that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, 
saith the Lord God of hosts." Jer. 2 : 19. 

2. What is the constant tendency on the part of professing Chris- 

tians ? 
" And my people are bent to backsliding from me." Hosea 11:7. 

3. What is the reason of this tendency ? 

"Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding ? 
They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. I hearkened and heard, but they 
spake not aright : no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have 
I done ? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle." 
Jer. 8:5,6. 

4. How does the Lord regard the backslider ? 

"Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt 
treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord." Jer. 3 : 20. 

5. In order to have the favor of the Lord again, what must the back- 

slider first do ? 

" Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord 
thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, 
and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord." Verse 13. 

[458] 



^KC.\VSU^\HGx. 459 



6. What further work must be done to meet the requirements of 

God? 

'■'■ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts : and let 
him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our 
God, for he will abundantly pardon." Isa. 55 : 7. 

7. Why is it necessary for the unrighteous to forsake their thoughts ? 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith 
the Lord." Verse 8. God desires that every one shall cultivate thoughts of 
a high order. To have those of the opposite class, shows the possessor to be 
greatly lacking in spirituality. 

8. What is especially necessary to prevent one from backsliding? 

" Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but 
the flesh is weak." Mark 14 : 38 ; Luke 21 : 36. 

9. What is necessary on the part of believers to show that they are 

not reprobates ? 

" Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves. Know 
ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro- 
bates ? " 2 Cor. 13 : 5. 

10. If one has the law of God in the heart, what will it do for'him ? 
"The law of his God is in his heart ; none of his steps shall slide." Ps. 37 : 31. 

11. In what particular does the Lord rebuke his people for their back- 

slidings ? 

" Even from the days of your fathers, ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and 
have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the 
Lord of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return ? " Mai. 3 : 7. 

12. When the people asked in what thing they should return to him, 

what neglect did he point out? 

" Will a man rob God ? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we 
robbed thee ? In tithes and offerings.'''' Verse 8. 

13. What remedy did the Lord propose, to rescue the people from 

their backslidings, and bring them where they could again have 
the blessings of Heaven ? 

" Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house, that there may be meat in mine house, 
and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you 
the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be 
room enough to receive it." Verse 10. 

14. Why did some of the Lord's disciples leave him ? 

" And he said. Therefore said I unto you, That no man can come unto me, except 
it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of his disciples 
went back, and walked no more with him." John 6 : 65, 66. 



460 ^KCV^SU\)\UG. 



15. Is there hope in the case of the backslider? 

" Take with you words, and turn to the Lord : say unto him, Take away all in- 
iquity, and receive us graciously : so will we render the calves of our lips. . . . 
I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely : for mine anger is turned 
away from him." Hosea 14 : 2-4. 

16. Will there be special danger of backsliding in the last days ? 

" And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." Matt. 
24 : 12. 

17. In view of this danger, what is every one's duty ? 

" Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape 
all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man." 
Luke 21 :36. 



FOR a closer walk with God ! 

A calm and heavenly frame, 
A light to shine upon the road 

That leads me to the Lamb. 

Return, O holy Dove ! return, — 

Sweet Messenger of rest ; 
I hate the sins that made thee mourn. 

And drove thee from my breast. 

What peaceful hours I once enjoyed ! 

How sweet their memory still ! 
But they have left an aching void 

The world can never fill. 

The dearest idol I have known, 

Whate'er that idol be. 
Help me to tear it from thy throne, 

And worship only thee. 

So shall my walk be close with God, 
Calm and serene my frame ; 

So purer light shall mark the road 
That leads me to the Lamb. 




^on-^v^ 



O for a strong, a lasting faith, 
To rest on what the Almighty saith ! 
To heed the message of his Son, 
And call the joys of heaven my own. 

Then, should the earth's old pillars shake. 
And all the wheels of nature break. 
My steadfast soul would fear no more 
Than solid rocks when billows roar. 




Unbelief. 



Y what are men justified ? 

^'■T\\.^x^iorQ\)€\x\^g justified by faith^ we have peace with God through 
our Lord Jesus Christ." Rom. 5:1. 

2. Then how are the just to live ? 

" Now tJie just shall live by faith : but if any man draw back, my soul shall have 
no pleasure in him." Heb. 10:38. 

. Why did not Israel of old attain to the law of righteousness ? 

" Because they sought it not by faith.'''' Rom. 9 : 32. 

.. When one told Christ of the disciples' failure to heal his afflicted 
son, what did he say of that generation ? 

"He answereth him, and saith, O faithless generation, how long shall I be with 
you ? how long shall I suffer you ? bring him unto me." Mark 9 : 19. 

. What did the Saviour say to Thomas when he met him, because he 
did not believe the testimony of his brethren that had seen 
Christ alive after his crucifixion ? 

" Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands ; and reach hither thy hand, and 
thrust it into my side ; and be not faithless, but believing.'''' John 20 : 27. 
Note. — If men are justified by faith, and are to live by faith, it follows that to 
^e unbelieving is not to be justified, and consequently not to live in the sense 
brought to view in the Scriptures. The Lord rebuked Thomas for his unbe- 
lief, because he would not accept the testimony of so many credible witnesses 
as the other ten disciples. How much more reprehensible is that unbelief 
which holds out against the present cloud of witnesses of the goodness and 
power of God to save sinners ! 

[461] 




[462] " They Could not Enter in Because of Unbelief 



ViU^LUL^. 463 



6. In view of the great cloud of witnesses of faith presented by the 

apostle in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, what does Paul 
exhort all to do ? 
" Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let 
us run with patience the race that is set before us." Heb. 12 : i. 
Note. — The "every weight" here introduced includes those traits of character 
and habits of life that would clog one's path, and be a hinderance in running 
successfully the Christian race. These are to be laid aside. But there is one 
other thing that is here considered more than a weight : it is a sin, and one 
that so easily besets all. It is the sin of unbelief. To be unbelieving is to 
be sinful. 

7. Why were the most of the children of Israel prohibited from en- 

tering the promised land ? 
" And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that 
believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.''' 
Heb. 3 : 18, 19. 

8. How was their unbelief regarded, and how did it affect God ? 

" But with whom %vas he grieved ioxty years ? was it not with them that had sinned, 
whose carcasses fell in the wilderness ? " Verse 17. 

9. What lesson does the apostle exhort us to draw from the course of 

the Israelites ? 
" Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of 
you should seem to come short of it." Heb. 4 : I. God does not change. 
If he was grieved at the unbelief of the Israelites, and refused them admit- 
tance to Canaan in consequence, he cannot permit us to enter the heavenly 
rest as long as we indulge in unbelief. 

10. What should all labor to do ? 

** Let us labor therefore to enter ittto that rest, lest any man fall after the same ex- 
ample of unbelief." Verse 11. 

11. Should one lose heart when trying to be a Christian, even though 

he feels that God is chastising him ? 

" My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint ivhen thou art re- 
buked of Jiim.^'' Heb. 12 : 5. 

12. Who are they that seem to have the greatest amount of affliction ? 

" For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he re- 
ceiveth." Verse 6. 

13. If one has no chastisement to bear, how may he regard himself ? 

" But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, 
and not sons." Verse 8. 

14. When the disciples became almost discouraged at one of Christ's 

sayings, and asked, "Who then can be saved?" what answer 
did Christ make? 



464 V^H^LULV 



" But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible ; but 
with God all things are possible.'''' Matt. 19 : 26. 

15. When God made a promise to Abraham that it seemed almost im- 

possible to fulfill, how did the patriarch receive it ? 

" He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief ; but ivas strong in 
faith, giving glory to God.'''' Rom. 4 : 20. 

16. For what was Abraham's faith under these circumstances counted ? 

" For what saith the scripture ? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto 
him for righteousness." Verse 3. 

17. What should be the burden of one's prayer, who is troubled with 

unbelief ? 
" Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief." Mark 9 : 24. 

18. If one believes that he receives things for which he asks God, how 

will his faith be rewarded ? 

" Therefore I say unto you. What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe 
that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11 : 24. 



^-^^^^ 



iWAY, my unbelieving fear ! 
^ Fear shall in me no more have place : 
My Saviour doth not yet appear. 

He hides the brightness of his face ; 
But shall I therefore let him go. 

And basely to the tempter yield ? 
No, in the strength of Jesus, no ; 

I never will give up my shield . 

Although the vine its fruit deny, 

Although the olive yield no oil, 
The withering fig-trees droop and die, 

The fields elude the tiller's toil, 
The empty stall no herd afford. 

And perish all the bleating race ; 
Yet I will triumph in the Lord, 

The God of my salvation praise. 

Barren although my soul remain. 

And not one bud of grace appear 
No fruit of all my toil and pain, 

But sin and only siia is here ; 
Although my gifts and comforts lost. 

My blooming hopes cut off I see. 
Yet will I in my Saviour trust, 

And glory that he died for me. 




(5od*s W)illingness to foi^giije. 



7- 



N what way has God dealt with penitent sinners ? 

He hath not dealt with us after our sins ; nor rewarded us according to our 
iniquities." Ps. 103:10. 

Why has he dealt thus with men? 

Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him ; 
for he kiioweth our frame ; he remei7ibereth that zve are dust.'''' Verses 13, 14. 

What is God ready to do for all who call upon him? 

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive ; and plenteous in mercy unto all 
Ihem that call upon thee." Ps. 86 : 5. 

When Abraham asked God to spare Sodom if he should find ten 
righteous persons therein, what did the Lord say ? 

And he said. Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak yet but this once : 
Perad venture ten shall be found there. And he said, / loill not destroy it for 
ten'' s sakey Gen. 18:32. 

What prayer did Moses offer in behalf of Israel ? 

Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of 
thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now." 
Num. 14 : 19. 

What reply did the Lord immediately make ? 

' And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word." Verse 20. 

When David confessed his great sin to God, what was done in 
answer to that prayer? 

'I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have 1 not hid. I said, I 
will confess my transgressions unto the Lord ; and thou forgavest the iniquity 
of my sin.'''' Ps. 32 : 5. 

Does the Lord always forgive sins when they are properly con- 
fessed to him? 

'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to 
cleanse us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9. 

30 [465] 




[466J " His Father Saw Him, and Had Compassion," 



00^'S M^\\.UHGU^SS ^0 VORGWIL. 46T 



9. How full is the Lord's forgiveness, when one fulfills the con- 
ditions ? 

" Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let 
him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him ; and to our God, 
for he will abundantly pardon.''^ Isa. 55 : 7. 

10. In what special manner has God shown his willingness to forgive 

the sinner ? 

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners^ 
Christ died for us.'''' Rom. 5 : 8. 

11. What does this wonderful manifestation on the part of God, 

vouchsafe to us ? 

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he 
not with him 2\'~>o freely give us all things ? " Rom. 8 : 32. 

12. Why has such full provision been made ? 

"The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness ; but 
is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all 
should come to repentance." 2 Peter 3 : 9. 

13. When the prodigal son, in the parable, repented and turned toward 

home, what did his father do ? 

" And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his 
father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed 
him.'''' Luke 15 : 20. 

14. Upon the son's asking to be made only a hired servant, what 

order was issued in behalf of the penitent one ? 

" But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him ; 
and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet ; and bring hither the fatted 
calf, and kill it ; and let us eat, and be merry ; for this my son was dead, and 
is alive again ; he was lost, and is fovmd. And they began to be merry." 
Verses 22-24. 

15. Is God as willing to do for his children as earthly parents are for 

theirs ? 

"If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, hozv 
much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask 
him ? " Luke 11 : 13. 

16. How many receive forgiveness from God? 

" Every one that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh, findeth ; and to him that 
knocketh, it shall be opened." Matt, 7:8. 

17. Does the Lord forget the cries of those who call upon him ? 

" Can a woman forget her sucking child ? . . . Yea, they may forget, yet zvill I 
not forget thee.'''' Isa. 49 : 15. 




There's a wideness in God's mercy, 
Like the wideness of the sea ; 

There's a kindness in his justice. 
Which is more than liberty. 



H^tti^ibutes of 6od 



(^^ DDRESSING the Father, what attribute did Christ ascribe to 

C]\ ^^^^^ • 

^^^ V ^_v '■'■Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast 
given me." John 17:11. 

2. Is holiness also in Christ? 

" Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy 
One to see corruption." Acts 2 : 27. 

3. What is said about the goodness of God ? 

" And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, 
merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth." 
Ex. 34 : 6. 

4. How did Christ show that he possessed the same element? 

" How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power : who 
7vent about doing good.'''' Acts 10 : 38. 

5. What is said of the mercy of God ? 

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, d.\\A plenteous in mercy:' Ps. 
103 : 8. 

6. Is he compassionate ? 

" But thou, O Lord, art a God///// of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and 
plenteous in mercy and truth." Ps. 86 : 15. 

7. How did Moses represent God's faithfulness in keeping covenant 

with his people ? 
[468] 



M^R\^V^1^S OV GOD, 



469 



" Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keep- 
eth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments 
to a thousand generations.''^ Deut. 7 : 9. 

Is Christ also the embodiment of truth ? 
' Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the hfe." John 14 : 6. 

How is the wisdom of God represented ? 

" Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any : he is mighty in strength and 
wisdom^ Job 36 : 5. 

What is said of the wisdom of Christ ? 

•'And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom ; and the 
grace of God was upon him." Luke 2 : 40, 

In what strong language is the perfect justice of God proclaimed? 

' He is the Rock, his luork is perfect ; for all his ways are judgment : a God of 
truth and zvithout iniquity, just and right is he.'"' Deut. 32 : 4. 

How long will these attributes exist ? 

' Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth : and the heavens are the work 
of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure : yea, all of them 
shall wax old like a garment ; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they 
shall be changed ; but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end," 
Ps. 102 : 25-27. 



12, 



13 



Can man ever really find out God ? 

"O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God ! how un- 
searchable are his judgments, and his ways past fnding out .■'" Rom. 1 1 : 33. 





[47^J 



REPENTANCE OF THE NINEVITES. 







Reeoneiled to Qod. 




HAT is enmity to God ? 

"The carnal mind \s enmity against God. 



Rom. 8 : 7, first part. 



p 2. Why is the carnal mind considered an enmity? 

' For it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. 
of same verse. 



Last part 



3. Can one please God while he is carnally minded ? 
" So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God." Verse 8. 

4. What will those receive who remain in that state? 
" For to be carnally minded is death." Verse 6. 

Note. — Since the " wages of sin is death " (Rom. 6 : 23), and " sin is the trans- 
gression of the law" (i John 3 : 4), it follows that, if to be carnally minded is 
death, it is also sin, or a violation of God's law. 

5. In what way may this condition be changed ? 

"We pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.^'' 2 Cor. 5 : 20. 

6. How was this reconciliation brought about in the case of the 

wicked Ninevites, when Jonah prophesied their destruction? 

The King of Nineveh said, "Let man and beast be covered with sackcloth and 
cry mightily unto God : yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and 
from the violence that is in their hands." " And God saw their works, that 
they turned from their evil way, and God repented of the evil that he had 
said that he would do unto them, and he did it not." Jonah 3 : 8, 10. 

7. Are repentance, confession, and a new life, essential to reconcili- 

ation in the gospel age also ? 

"Repent ye therefore, and be converted that your sins may be blotted out." 
Acts 3 : 19. " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our 
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." i John I : 9. 

[471] 



472 R^COUCW^^ ^0 G.00. 



8, Is this work effected independently of the sinner's action ? 

" For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth hi him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3 : 16. 
"For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his 
Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." Rom. 
5: 10. 

9. How is the carnal mind destroyed ? 

" Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might 
be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." Rom. 6 : 6. 

10. When the work on the part of the sinner has been thoroughly done, 

how complete will be the change in him ? 

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature : old things are passed 
away ; behold, all thi7igs are become newy 2 Cor. 5:17. 

11. How may we know whether or not one has experienced this 

change ? 

" Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. 7 : 20. 

12. If one has a spiritual mind, what fruit will he bear ? 

"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, 
faith, meekness, temperance.^'' Gal. 5 : 22, 23. 

13. What is the first result of justification ? 

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Je- 
sus Christ." Rom. 5 : I. 

14. How complete is the justification of that person who becomes rec- 

onciled to God ? 

" But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with 
another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.'''' 
I John 1:7. 

15. When thus reconciled to God, how will the individual stand ? 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who 
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8:1. 





Re\?epenee for the ^ouse of Qod 

-^j||®OW does the Lord regard the things that have been devoted, or 
ivmm dedicated, to his service ? 

Every devoted thing is most holy unto the Lord." Lev. 27 : 28. 

Did Christ exhibit regard for the sanctity of God's house ? 

" And they come to Jerusalem ; and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast 
out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the 
money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves; and would not suffer 
that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. And he taught, 
saying unto them. Is it not written. My house shall be called of all nations the 
house of prayer ? but ye have made it a den of thieves." Mark 1 1 : 15-17. 

3. How can it be proved that the words of Scripture, quoted by 

Christ, do not apply to the Jewish temple alone? 

"Even them [the sons of the stranger] will I bring to my holy mountain, and 
make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt- offerings and their sac- 
rifices shall be accepted upon mine altar ; for mine house shall be called a 
house of prayer for all people.'''' Isa. 56 : 7. 
Note. — The 56th chapter of Isaiah contains a prophecy relating to New Testa- 
ment times. It is, therefore, plain that Christ enunciated a general principle 
applicable to all houses dedicated to God's service. 

4. Give another prophetic statement of this matter, relating to the 

same time. 

"For, from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, my name 
shall be great among the Gentiles ; and in every place incense shall be offered 
unto 7ny name, and a pure offering ; for my name shall be great among the 
heathen, saith the Lord of hosts." Mai. i : 11. 

[473] 



474 ^\^VL RLND\UOS. 



5. Why did the apostle write certain things to Timothy? 

"These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly ; but if I tarry 
long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house 
of God." I Tim. 3 : 14, 15. 

6. Has Christ given us an inducement to worship him in his house ? 
" For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst 

of them.'' Matt. 18:20. 

7. If Christ is present, how ought his people to regard the place 

which he thus honors ? 
"And the Captain of the Lord's host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off 
thy foot ; for the place whereon thou standest is holy.'" Joshua 5 : 15 ; 
Ex. 3:5. 
Note. — The " Captain of the Lord's host " must have been Christ ; for he per- 
mitted Joshua to worship him. Angels do not permit other beings to worship 
them. See Rev. 22 : 8, 9. 

8. What words of caution does the "Preacher " give us ? 
" Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God.'" Eccl. 5:1. 

Notes. — " Guard thy steps when thou goest to the house of the Lord, that thou 
mayest enter it with sacred composure, and carefully avoid everything that 
would interfere with thy devotion." — Langel 

Reverence is becoming in the house of God, yet there are those who do 
not seem to appreciate this. In some places it is customary for the worshipers 
to enter the house of prayer noisily, and to move about, talking and laughing 
immoderately. Children, too, are sometimes allowed to run wildly about the 
house before and between the times of worship, playing and laughing aloud. 
This is a scandal to the house of God wherever it is permitted. There are 
some extreme cases in which even the men do not remove their hats, but stand 
in knots discussing the weather, and its effect upon the crops, while some of 
the women engage in visiting, and lively conversation about commonplace 
things. At times, the discussion of various topics becomes so animated that 
the participants forget the hour, and when the time for opening the services 
arrives, the minister, if one be present, steps into the desk, and calls the 
meeting to order. Sometimes, after waiting a season, he is obliged to call 
again, raising his voice above the din in order to command attention. Per- 
haps even then a portion of the opening hymn is read while some of the 
congregation are taking their seats with more or less confusion. It seems a 
shame to any church that such things can be recorded of its members. 

9. Name one of the reasons why God rejected his chosen people. 
"For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord ; they have 

set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.'''' 
Jer. 7 : 30. 

:o. What instruction had the Lord given his people regarding their 
treatment of his earthly dwelling-place ? 

"Ye shall keep my Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary ; I am the Lord." 
Lev. 19 : 30. 



Note, — Why this injunction to reverence the sanctuary, which was made of 
only earthly materials? — Because it was the house in which God chose to 
place his name, and in which he would be manifested by the symbol of his 
presence. It was therefore a holy place, and as such should receive the rev- 
erence of his people. A house of worship is supposed to be a dwelling- 
place for God, by the symbol of his presence, the Holy Spirit. Where only 
two or three are met in his name, he has promised to be in their midst. Were 
people to step into the actual presence of Jehovah, it is probable that none 
would there engage in levity. On the other hand, they would most likely 
feel at once to bow in awe and reverence, to adore their Creator. But if God 
is really present in the person of his representative, in the convocations of his 
people, why should they treat his Holy Spirit with any less consideration ? 

1 1. How are all required to serve God ? 

"Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.'' '' Heb. 12:28. God is 
the same in every age, and though inhabiting eternity, he still dwells with 
those who are of a contrite and humble spirit. When this class come together 
for worship, the Lord comes with them. He has deigned to accept the 
earthly hov;ses dedicated to him, as the repositories of his name, and they 
should therefore be reverenced because he has thus honored them. 

12. In what frame of mind does David desire to worship, and what 

does he call the temple ? 

" But as for me, I will come into thy house in the multitude of thy mercy ; and ht 
thy fear will I worship toward thy holy temple.'''' Ps. 5 : 7. 

13. Where, does he say, is God especially to be feared? 

"God xs, greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in rever- 
ence of all them that are about him." Ps. 89 : 7. 
Note. — It is a solemn thing to go into the presence of God. When the high 
priest on the tenth day of the seventh month went in before God to offer his 
yearly sacrifice for himself and the people, all Israel watched his return with 
anxiety and prayer. Of course, we as worshipers do not carry the responsi- 
bility of ancient Israel's high priest, but we are required to appear before God, 
to worship, at stated seasons. May we have grace to do so with reverence. 
" Our God is a consuming fire." 

14. Should any performance, which does not relate to the service of 

God, be tolerated in a house dedicated to his service ? 



rX- 



E5ESHSESH5E5H5ESES 





TVleditation and Pi^ax/'ei^. 

HAT particular temptation is common to all men ? 

"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust^ 
and enticed." James i : 14. 

What other foe does man have to contend with ? 

" Be sober, be vigilant ; because jj/c?^r adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walk- 
eth about, seeking whom he may devour." i Peter 5 : 8. 

3. Is there still another obstacle to man's spiritual advancement ? 

" Love not tlie world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love 
the world, the love of the Father is not in him." I John 2 : 15. 

4. Can any one overcome these enemies in his own strength alone ? 

" I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the 
same bringeth forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing.'''' John 
15 = 5- 

5. What is required on our part if we are kept from our foes ? 

" Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation : the spirit indeed is willing, 
but the flesh is weak." Matt. 26 : 41. 

6. How much should we pray ? 

" Pray without ceasing." i Thess. 5:17. It is not that one should be constantly 
bowed before God in prayer ; but after a season of earnest entreaty with the 
Father, the mind should be kept in a prayerful mood, even when walking by 
the way, or engaged in the duties of life. 

7. On what occasions did David receive strength and encourage- 

ment ? 

" When I remember thee upon my bed, and ??ieditate on thee in the nightwatches." 
Ps. 63 : 6. 

[476] 



8. What did he say of the man who was truly blessed ? 

*' His delight is in the law of the Lord ; and in his law doth he meditate day and 
night. ""^ Ps. I : 2. 

9. Will such a condition of mind be distasteful to one who really 

loves God ? 
" My meditation of him shall be sweet." Ps. 104 : 34. 

10. How long ought one to continue this constant devotion? 

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." Matt. 24 : 13. 

11. What is the special duty of those who live in the time when the 

Lord's coming is expected ? 

'■'■ Take ye heed, zvatch and pray : for ye know not when the time is. . . , Watch ye 
therefore : for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or 
at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning : lest coming suddenly he 
find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all. Watch.'''' Mark 
13 : 33-37- 

12. As the Lord's coming draws near, what will make the duty of 

prayer and watchfulness more imperative ? 

" Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea ! foi' the Devil is come down imto 
you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.'''' 
Rev. 12 : 12. 

13. Can we at that time have all the help we desire to withstand our 

enemies ? 

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, 
he will give it you." John 16 : 23. 

14. If help does not come when it is first asked, what should one do ? 

" And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though 
he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily." 
Luke 18 : 7, 8. "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall 
strengthen thine heart : wait, I say, on the Lord." Ps. 27 : 14. 

15. What blessed promise is vouchsafed to those who are found watch- 

ing when the Lord comes ? 

" Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find watching : 
verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down 
to meat, and will come forth and serve them." Luke 12 : 37. 





pealing. 

ESIDES forgiving our iniquities, what other blessing does 

God grant his people ? 
" Who forgiveth all thine iniquities ; who healeth all thy diseases.'''' Ps. 

103:3- 

2. When through disobedience king Jeroboam's hand with- 
ered, how was it restored to strength ? 

*^ And the man of God besought the Lord, and the king's hand was restored him 
again, and became as it was before." i Kings 13 : 6. 

3. When Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, what did Moses do in hcr 

behalf? 

"And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, Heal her now, O God, I beseech thee." 
Num. 12 : 13. 

4. Are there cases when it is best not to apply to earthly physicians ? 

" And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until 
his disease was exceeding great ; yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, 
but to the physicians.'''' 2 Chron. 16 : 12. 

5. When Elijah prayed for the restoration of a child, what was the 

result ? 

"And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, 
and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him 
again. And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah ; and the soul of the child 
came into him again, and he revived." i Kings 17 : 21, 22. 
[478] 



HLKUHG. 479 



6. When Hezekiah prayed for restoration from sickness, what answer 

was returned to him ? 

"Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I 
have seen thy tears : behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years." Isa. 
38 : 5- 

7. What was a part of the work of Christ while he was here on earth? 

"And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching 
the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all fnanner 
of disease among the people.'''' Matt. 4 : 23. 

8. Besides dying for our transgressions, what else did the Saviour 

take on himself ? 
" Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses."" Matt. 8:17. 

9. When the woman touched the hem of Jesus's garment and was 

healed of her infirmity, what gave effect to the touch ? 

" And he said unto her. Daughter, be of good comfort ; thy faith hath made thee 
whole ; go in peace." Luke 8 :48. 

10. Where is the gift of healing to be found in this dispensation? 

" And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly 
teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, 
diversities of tongues." I Cor. 12 : 28. 

11. How is this gift to be exercised? 

"Is any sick among you ? let him call for the elders of the church ; and let them 
pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.'''' James 5 : 14. 

12. If the sick one is restored to health, by what power is it accom- 

plished ? 

"And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up ; 
and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him." Verse 15. 

13. Did Christ bestow the gift of healing upon his disciples ? 

" Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority 
over all devils, and to cure diseases. And he sent them to preach the king- 
dom of God, and to heal the sick." Luke 9:1,2. " Now Peter and John 
went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer. . . . And a certain 
man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the 
gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered 
into the temple ; who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked 
an alms. . . . Then Peter said. Silver and gold have I none ; but such 
as I have, give I thee : In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and 
walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up ; and immedi- 
ately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up, stood, 
and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, 
and praising God." Acts 3:18. 




[48o] "In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, 

Rise up and Walk." 



HLNUHG^. 481 



14. Was this commission to cease with the twelve apostles ? 

" And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that 
believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that 
believe : In my name . . . they shall lay hands on the. sick, and they shall 
recover.'''' Mark 16 : 15-18. 

15. What special work is necessary for one who expects to be healed? 

"Confess your faults one 'to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be 
healed." James 5 : 16. 
Note. — The evident reason why so few are now healed in answer to prayer, is 
because one or another of the parties, and perhaps none of them, has ful- 
filled the conditions prescribed. If one has by some willful course of his own, 
brought a sickness upon himself, and he gives no evidence that he would do 
better if he should be raised up, the Lord cannot consistently interfere in such 
a case. Or if the individual wishing help, knows of faults of which he is 
guilty, and does not confess them, and resolve, by the help of God, to put 
them away, he has no reason to expect the special manifestation of God's 
power to raise him up. Again, the one who prays for the sick, should be a 
person of strong faith. "When the disciples of Christ asked him why they 
could not cure the afflicted child, he told them that it was because of their 
lack of faith, and that the faith needed for such occasions came only by 
fasting and prayer. See Matt. 17 : 14-21. There may also be cases where it 
is not best to pray for the sick. Paul left Trophimus sick at Miletum on one 
occasion, for just what reason is not known ; but as he had often healed the 
sick, he probably would have done so in this case had not some good reason 
for not doing so presented itself. Doubtless some might profit by the exam- 
ple of the apostle. 



31. 




f>MARISEE. 
AND 
BLICAH 



Pi^nswers to ppaxfer. 



^^OR what purpose did the Saviour utter the parable of the importu- 
nate widow ? 

"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to 
pray, and not to faint. ^'' Luke i8 : I. 

If one asks in the proper way for what he needs, how will his prayer 
be regarded ? 

■ Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, beheve 
that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark ii : 24. 

What must be the condition of one who has this confidence? 

'Beloved, '\i our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God." 
I John 3:21, 

And if one does have that for which he asks, for what reason is it 
granted ? 

■ And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, 
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight." Verse 22. 

Note. — Taken together, these last two texts distinctly point out that obedience 
to God's commandments is the foundation of faith ; for one negatively states 
that if condemnation (a knowledge of guilt) rests on an individual, he has no 
confidence when before God, a lack of which forbids an answer to prayer. 
But the last-quoted verse says that, what we receive in answer to our petitions, 
is because of our obedience to the commandments, which proves conclusively 
that without such obedience, one cannot exercise that faith which will bring 
answers to prayer, 
[482] 



KUSNN^RS ^0 PRM^R. 483 

5. If one does not ask in faith, what does he gain ? 

" But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering ; for he that wavereth is like a wave 
of the sea, driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that 
he shall receive anything of the Lordy James I : 6, 7. 

6. If a prayer is offered while cherishing an unforgiving spirit toward 

another, of what avail is it ? 

" And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; that your 
Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do 
not forgive, neither zvill your Father luhich is in heaven forgive your tres- 
passes.''' Mark ii : 25, 26. 

7. What course on the part of husbands or wives will prevent their 

prayers from being answered ? 
Contention and discord, i Peter 3 -.7. 

8. What answer will he receive who turns away his ear from hearing 

the law ? 

" Even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov. 18 19. 

9. When the conditions are complied with on which answers to 

prayer may be expected, for what may petitions be offered ? 

(I.) For the forgiveness of sin, 2 Chron. 7:14; i John 5 : 16 ; Matt. 5 : 44 ; (2.) 
for the Holy Spirit, John 14 : 16 ; Luke ii : 13 ; (3.) for deliverance in the 
hour of temptation and danger. Matt. 6 : 13 ; John 17 : ii ; Prov. 3 : 26 ; Ps. 
91 ; (4.) for wisdom and understanding, James 1:5; i Kings 3:9; Dan. 
2 : 17-19 ; (5.) for the healing of the sick, James 5 : 14, 15 ; 2 Kings 20 ; (6.) 
for the prosperity of the ministers of God, Eph. 6 : 18, 19 ; 2 Thess. 3:1; 
{7.) for those who suffer for the truth's sake, Heb. 13 :3 ; Acts 12 : 5 ; (8.) 
for rulers, Ezra 6 : 10 ; Acts 23 : 5 ; (9.) for temporal prosperity, that the 
work of God be not hindered, James 5:17, 18 ; Zech. 10 : I ; (10.) for the 
Lord to vindicate his cause, I Kings 18:30-39; (11.) for the coming of 
Christ, Matt. 6:10; Rev. 22 : 20. 

10. If an answer does not come at the time and in the manner ex- 
pected, what should be the attitude of the petitioner ? 
" Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." Ps. 37 : 7. 



'^M-i 




\) 



OVV)S. 




ll'^ll^OES God require that we shall fulfill our promises 

Mm ?. "When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, t/ioz( shall nol 

h^^~^ ^/(^r/^ lo pay il ; for the Lord Ihy God will surely require it of thee ; and 

p--/ it would be sin in thee.'''' Deut. 23 : 21. 

2. Does a partial fulfillment meet his requirements? 

If a man vow a vow unto the Lord, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a 
bond ; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth 
out of his mouth.'''' Num. 30 : 2. 

3. Why is God so very particular about promises? 

Because he is faithful in performing his promises, and he wants his people to be 
like him. " That which is gotie out of thy lips thou shall keep and perform ; 
even a free-will offering, according as thou hast vowed unto the Lord thy 
God, which thou hast promised with thy mouth." Deut. 23 : 23. 

4. What does he call those who are slack in paying their vows ? 

"When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it ; for he hath no pleasure 
va. fools: pay that which thou hast vowed." Eccl. 5 14. 

5. Will God excuse vows that are made without duly considering 

whether or not we can perform them ? 
[484] 



NIOV^S. 485 



^'■Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not 
pay. Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin ; neither say thou before 
the angel, that it was an error ; wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, 
and destroy the work of thine hands ? " Eccl. 5 15, 6. 

6. What will God do for us, if we are faithful in fulfilling our promises ? 

" Offer unto God thanksgiving ; and pay thy vows unto the Most High, and call 
upon me in the day of trouble ; / will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify 
me." Ps, 50 : 14, 15. 

7. Is it wise to consider beforehand whether we are able to perform 

our vows ? 

"It is a snare to the man who devoureth that which is holy, and after vows to 
make inquiry.'''' Prov. 20 : 25. 

8. Is it not better not to vow? 

" Vow, and pay unto the Lord your God ; let all that be round about him bring 
presents unto him that ought to be feared." Ps. 76 : 11. 

9. What did Jacob do after the Lord had appeared unto him ? 

"And Jacob vowed a vow, saying. If God will be with me, and will keep me in 
this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, 
so that I come again to my father's house in peace ; then shall the Lord be my 
God ; and this stone, which I have set for a pillar, shall be God's house ; and 
of all that thou shalt give me, L will surely give the tenth unto thee.'''' Gen, 
28 : 20-22. 

10. Did the Lord forget Jacob's vow ? 

" And the angel of God spake unto me in a dream, saying, Jacob, ... I am the 
God- of Bethel, where thou anointedst the pillar, and where thou vowedst a 
vow unto me ; now arise, get thee out from this land, and return unto the 
land of thy kindred." Gen. 31 : 11-13. 

11. And did Jacob keep his promise ? 

" Then Jacob said unto his household, and to all that were with him. Put away the 
strange gods that are among you, and be clean, and change your garments ; 
and let us arise, and go up to Bethel ; and I will make there an altar unto 
God, who answered m.e in the day of tny distress, and was with me in the way 
which I went." Gen. 35 : 2, 3. 

12. Is the Lord particular as to what we vow to him ? 

" But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sac- 
rificeih unto the Lord a corrupt thing ; for L am a great King, saith the Lord 
of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen." Mai. i : 14, 

13. What does such a vow betray in him who brings the offering? — 

Contempt. 

" And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil ? and if ye offer the lame and 
sick, is it not evil ? offer it now unto thy governor ; will he be pleased with 
thee, or accept thy person ? saith the Lord of hosts." Mai. i : 8. 



486 \JO\NS. 



14- For what other reason has God a right to demand the best ? — He 
gives everything. 

" For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her 
silver and gold." Hos. 2 : 8. 

15. To whom do we belong? 

" What ! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in 
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? for ye are bought with 
a price ; therefore glorify Godwin your body, and in your spirit, which are 
God's." I Cor. 6 : 19, 20. 

16. What inducement does the Lord hold out to those who desire to 

comply strictly with his requirements ? 

" Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, 
and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you 
the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be 
room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, 
and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground ; neither shall your vine 
cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts." Mai. 
3 : 10, II. 

17. But suppose the Lord should deem it best not to bless us, because 

our motives were selfish, or he withholds the blessings for good 
reasons ? 

"Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines ; the 
labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat ; the flock shall 
be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls, yet I will 
rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Hab. 3 : 17, 18. 



'#-^ 



[ESUS, I my cross have taken, 

All to leave and follow thee : 
All things else I have forsaken ; 

Thou from hence my all shalt be. 
Perish every fond ambition, 

All I've sought, or hoped, or known 
Yet how rich is my condition, 

While I prove the Lord my own ! 



4^ 




ii 


"Vt\ THE \NORQ 




OV CV\R\S-\ 







2. 



5- 






n 
U 



^^t\.V \H -<0\i R\CH\-^ \H KVL V^\SQOVA. 



H 



-^ji 



^ Good Qonscience. 




HAT is conscience ? 

"The knowledge of our acts, states, or characters, as right or wrong; the 
faculty, power, or principle which decides on the lawfulness or unlaw- 
fulness of our actions and affections, and approves or condemns them ; 
the moral faculty ; the moral sense." — Webster. 
' As science means knowledge, conscience etymologically means self-hiowledge. . . . 
But the English word implies a moral standard of action in the mind as well 
as a consciousness of our own actions. . . . Conscience is the reason, employed 
about questions of right and wrong, and accompanied with the sentiments of 
approbation and condemnation." — ■ Whezvell. 

What effect is the application of the blood of Christ expected to 
have upon the conscience ? 

' How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered 
himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve 
the living God ? " Heb. 9 : 14. 

When once purged by the blood of Christ, in what condition is 

the conscience of an individual ? 
' Because that the worshipers once purged should have had no more conscience of 
sins." Heb. 10 : 2. 

In his defense before a certain council, how did Paul say he had 
constantly lived ? 

'Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day." 
Acts 23 : I. 

When one lives as the apostle declared he had, — in all o-ood con- 
science, — in what condition will his conscience be ? 
' And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offense toward 

God, and toward men.'''' Acts 24 : 16. 
Note. — Taking the definition of conscience into consideration, it may be readily 
seen that it is not enough to have simply a conscience ; for all consciences are 
not good. The heathen have consciences which lead them, in some cases, to 

[487] 




[488] 



A CHANGE OF CONSCIENCE. 



K GOOD OOUSO\^HOL. ■ 489 



sacrifice their children to appease the wrath of their gods. A notable case of 
a changed conscience, is that recorded in Acts 19 : 18-20, when many who 
had previously believed false doctrines, and who had "used curious arts, 
brought their books together, and burned them before all men : and they 
counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver." 
Theirs was a change from a bad conscience to a good one, though at quite a 
financial loss. To be a Christian, then, one must have a good conscience, one 
which has been purged from corrupt things by an application of the blood of 
Christ. 

6. What does the apostle say the act of baptism is to the candidate ? 

"The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the put- 
ting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward 
GodJ, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." I Peter 3 : 21. 
Note. — Baptism saves one by the resurrection of Jesus Christ ; that is, by sub- 
mitting to that ordinance, one shows his faith in the resurrection of Christ, by 
virtue of which we are saved. When one is baptized, the act itself does not 
remove a single stain, but it is only the answer, or response, that a good con- 
science makes to the demand of the gospel which requires one to believe in the 
death and resurrection of Christ, and be baptized to show his faith in those 
events, that he may be saved. Hence he responds, or answers, to the demand 
by complying cheerfully. 

7. What else will a good conscience lead one to do ? 

" For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffer- 
ing ivrojigfully.'''' I Peter 2 : 19. 

8. If one repels the Spirit of God from him, and refuses to have his 

conscience, or knowledge of himself, quickened, what is the 
result ? 

"Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron.'''' 
I Tim. 4 : 2. 

9. When one's conscience is well enlightened, what will it do for the 

individual ? 

'■'■Y ox our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and 
godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have 
had our conversation in the world." 2 Cor, i : 12. 

ro. With what is a good conscience connected ? 

" Now the end of the commandment is charity out of 2^ pure heart, and of a good 
conscience, and oi faith unfeigned.'''' I Tim. I : 5. 



-^^%^'^^~ 










^^^ 
^^# 







TVlcinner of 0bserY)ing the gabbatfi. 

^OW are all commanded to keep the Sabbath? 

" Remember the Sabbath day, to ^eep it holy.''^ Ex. 20 : 8. 

2. What constitutes a day? 
"The evening and the morning y^^x^ the first day." Gen. I : 5, 8, 13, etc. 
Note. — "The day is made by the revolution of the earth on its axis. Each 
complete revolution makes one day, which for convenience is divided into 
twenty- four portions called ' hours.' If the sun were to become a body of dark- 
ness, the day would still be the same length that it now is. So there were 
days before the sun was made to rule the day. The earth began to revolve as 
soon as it was created, each revolution making one day ; and during the fourth 
revolution the sun was made for a light-bearer. The sun does not make the 
day ; it simply rules it. The Hebrew of Gen. i : 18, literally translated, says 
that the great lights were set in the firmament ' to rule in the day and in the 
night.' 

"When the earth was created, 'darkness was upon the face of the deep.' 
The phrase 'in the beginning,' marks the beginning of the first day of time. 
Consequently the first day of time began in darkness. Before the earth had 
completed its first revolution, God said, 'Let there be light, and there was 
light.' God saw that the light was good, ' and God divided the light from the 
darkness. And God called the light day,, and the darkness he called night. 
And the evening [the darkness] and the morning [the light] were the first 
day.' The first revolution of the earth was completed just at the dividing line 
between light and darkness ; and as the first part of that [the first] day was 
in the darkness which up to that time had been unbroken, so the second day 
began with the darkness which had then been set off and placed within bounds. 
And because time began in darkness, the first portion of every day of 
time has been darkness. Men may adopt as many standards as they please, 
but every day of time has begun with evening, and so it will be as long as 
time lasts." — E. J. Waggoner, in International S. S. Lessons. 

[490] 



3. When does the evening begin ? 

*' But at the place which the Lord thy God shall choose to place his name in, there 
thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun.'''' 
Deut. 16 : 6. 

4. How does the New Testament state this point ? 

" And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, 
and them that were possessed with devils." Mark i : 32. 

5. When did the tenth day of the seventh month begin ? 

" Also on the tenth day of this seventh month there shall be a day of atonement. 
... It shall be unto you a sabbath of rest, and ye shall afflict your souls ; 
in the ninth day of the month at even, from even unto even, shall ye celebrate 
your sabbath. " Lev. 23 127-32. 
Note. — It is plain that if the tenth day of the seventh month began on the 
evening of the ninth day, at the going down of the sun, then the seventh day 
of the week, or the Sabbath, always began on the evening of the sixth day, at 
the going down of the sun. 

6. What kind of labor is permitted through the week ? 

" Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work.'''' Ex. 20 : 9. That is, whatever 
secular, yet lawful, work presents itself to be performed, by which one is him- 
self benefited, may be done on any or all of the six working days. Such is 
called " thy work." 

7. Is any kind of labor lawful on the Sabbath ? 

" Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath days." Matt. 12 : 12. 

8. What example did the Saviour give to show the meaning of his 

words ? 
" Then saith he to the man. Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth ; 
and it was restored whole, like as the other." Verse 13. Disinterested works 
of mercy toward man or beast are always in place, because they are not our 
work, inasmuch as we are riot to be pecuniarily benefited by them. From 
reading the entire chapter it will be*seen that the Saviour also classed the 
work of the priests in the temple, though very arduous, as necessary, because 
it was the Lord's work, and was therefore not a violation of the Sabbath law. 

9. What is the day before the Sabbath called ? 

" And that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on." Luke 23 : 54. 
Note. — The Jews had two evenings ; one commencing about noon and lasting 
till sunset. In this time all preparation for the Sabbath was attended to. 
When sunset came, it introduced their second evening. This lasted as long 
as the twilight. See Dr. Clarke on Ex. 12:6. 

o. On which day did the Israelites receive their Sabbath supply of 
manna ? 

" And it came to pass, that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two 
omers for one man." Ex. 16 : 22. 



11. What instruction did they receive regarding this double supply of 

food? 

" And he said unto them, This is that which the Lord hath said, To-morrow is the 
rest of the holy Sabbath unto the Lord ; bake that which ye will bake to-day, 
and seethe [boil] that ye will seethe ; and that which remaineth over lay up 
for you to be kept until the i?ior7ting.''^ Verse 23. 

12. Was there any day in which the manna did not fall ? 

" Six days ye shall gather it ; but on the seventh day, which is the Sabbath, in it 
there shall be none." Verse 26. God's dealing with his people in the wil- 
derness shows that elaborate preparation of food on the Sabbath is a violation 
of the Sabbath precept. 

13. What were God's ancient people to do on the Sabbath? 

" Six days shall work be done ; but the seventh day is the Sabbath of rest, a holy 
convocation. " Lev. 23 : 3 . The word convocation means ' ' a calling together, ' ' 
and was applied invariably to meetings of a* religiotis character, in contradis- 
tinction to congregation, in which political and legal matters were occasionally 
settled. See ". Mc Clintock and Strong's Cyclopedia," art. Convocation. 

14. What example did the Saviour set in this matter? 

" And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up ; and, as his custom 
ivas, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to 
read." Luke 4 : 16. 

15. How sacredly should the Sabbath be observed ? 

"If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my 
holy day ; and call the Sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable : 
and shalt honor him, not doijig thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleas- 
ure, nor speaking thine own words.'''' Isa. 58 : 13. 




\ e wM Q / 




James 4 : 6. 
Ps. loi : 5. 



HAT will pride do for him who cherishes it ? 
A man's pride shall bring him low." Prov. 29 : 23. 

^^ 2. How does the Lord regard the proud ? 

" God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. 
■ Him that hath a high look and a proud heart will not I suffer 

3. Will Jesus dwell with the proud ? 
" The proud he knoweth a/ar offy Ps. 138 : 6. 

4. Can those who are filled with pride be truly wise ? 

" He is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words 
I Tim. 6:4. 

5. Why should we not indulge in pride ? 

"A high look and a proud heart . . . is sin.'''' Prov. 21 : 4. 

6. Will the Lord bless the proud ? 

"Blessed is the man that . . . respecteth not the proud." Ps. 40 : 4. 

7. What will be one great sin of the last days ? 

" Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud.' 
"The child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient." 

8. How are the proud generally regarded at the present time ? 
"Now we call the proud happy." Mai. 3 ; 15. 

9. What does the prophet say will be their fate ? 

" Behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud . . 
be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up." Mai. 4 : I 



2 Tim. 3 : 2. 
Isa. 3 : 5. 



shall 



"Proud hearts and lofty mountains are always barren." 

[493] 




[494] 



THE DEBT FORGIVEN. 





HAT spirit should accompany prayer? 

"And when ye stand 'praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any; 
' that your Father also which is in heaven, may forgive you your tres- 

passes." Mark 11:25. 

2. Will God pardon the unforgiving? 

"But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven 
forgive your trespasses." Verse 26. 

3. How shall we ask for pardon ? 

" And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." Matt. 6 : 12. 

4. How many times should we forgive ? 

■ "Then came Peter to him, and said. Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against 
me, and I forgive him ? till seven times ? Jesus saith unto him, I say not 
unto thee. Until seven times, but. Until seventy times seven." Matt, 
18 : 21, 22. 

5. In what parable are we taught forgiveness ? 

" Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would 
take account of his sel^^ants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was 
brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as 
he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and chil- 
dren, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore 
fell down, and worshiped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I 
will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, 
and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, 
and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence ; and 
he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou 
owest. And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, say- 
ing. Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not ; but 
went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fel- 
low-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told 
unto their lord all that was done." Verses 23-31. 

6. In dealing with the erring, what feelings should actuate us? 

" Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had 
pity on thee ? " Verse 33. 

[495] 



496 VORG\\l\nG OHL KUO^WLR 

7. In forgiving, should we be satisfied with mere formalities ? 

"So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts 
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." Verse 35. 

8. How should we bestow mercy ? 

" Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation : he that giveth, let him do it with simplic- 
ity ; he that ruleth, with diligence ; he that showeth mercy, with cheerful- 
ness." Rom. 12 : 8. 

9. What should we do when a great sin is confessed? 

" So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest per- 
haps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow." 2 Cor. 
2 : 7. The forgiving spirit manifested by Joseph, who "kissed all his breth- 
ren, and wept upon them" (Gen. 45 : 15), notwithstanding the great wrong 
they had done him, furnishes an example worthy of imitation by all Chris- 
tians. 

10. In restoring the erring, what grace should we exemplify? 

"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a 
one in the sj^irit of meekness ; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted." 
Gal. 6 : I. 

11. In forgiving, whose example do we follow ? 

" Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel 
against any : even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye." Col. 3 : 13. 

12. Did God anciently forbid grudging? 

" Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, 
but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself : I am the Lord." Lev. 19 : 18. 

13. What says the New Testament ? 

" Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned : behold, the 
Judge standeth before the door." James 5:9. 

14. Does one forgive who holds a grudge ? 

Some, when pretending to forgive, say: " I can forgive, but I cannot forget." 
Such "hold a grudge." 

15. What duty, recognized in the Lord's prayer, is the only one to 

which the Master adds a comment ? 

" And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." " For if ye forgive men 
their trespasses, your heavenly Father mhII also forgive you ; but if ye forgive 
not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." 
Matt. 6 : 12, 14, 15. 




Unitjr of I^elie\?ei^s, 




HAT relation do the Father and the Son sustain to each other? 
/« "I and my Father are one.'''' John lo : 30. 

^ 2. In what does this oneness consist ? 

I can of mine own self do nothing : as I hear, I judge : and my judgment is just : 
because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent 
me." John 5 : 30. Their purpose is one. 

What did Christ ask the Father in behalf of his disciples ? 

Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that 
they may be one, as we are.'''' John 17 : II. 

Could the church be thus, what influence would it have on unbe- 
lievers? 

• That they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they 
also may be one in us : that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.'''' 
Verse 21. 

32 [197] 



498 . ^\^V.^ R^t\\^\UGS, 



5. What did the apostle Paul teach on this point? 

' ' Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all 
speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you ; but that ye 
be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. ' ' 
I Cor. I : 10. 

6. What was the first cause of division in the church of Christ ? 

" For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, 
not sparing the flock. Also of your otvn selves shall men arise, speaking per- 
verse things, to draw away disciples after them.'''' Acts 20 : 29, 30. 

7. What did this division cause among the believers even in Paul's 

day? 

" For the mystery of iniquity doth already work : only he who nowletteth [hinder- 
eth] will let, until he be taken out of the way." 2 Thess. 2 : 7. 

8. When paganism, that which hindered the full development of this 

" mystery," was taken out of the way, what followed ? 

"And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the 
spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." 

Verse 8. 

9. By what name is this power elsewhere called ? 

" Let no man deceive you by any means : for that day shall not come, except there 
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition .' 
who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is 
worshiped ; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself 
that he is God." Verses 3, 4. 

Note. — It may seem strange, and yet it is true, that the huge system of error now 
fostered in the Papal Church, was born of ambition that was allowed to create 
disunion of sentiment. It might have been a small difference at first, hardly 
worth noticing, but it was nevertheless a seed that was big with possibilities. 
And what misery it entailed on the world ! Millions have filled martyrs' 
graves in consequence, and still ambitious desire for the ascendency con- 
tinues to animate the actions of many who call themselves disciples of Christ. 

10. To what did the apostle liken the church as first organized ? 

" "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular." I Cor. 12 : 27. 

11. And by being members of Christ's body, what else do church-mem- 

bers become ? 

*' So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. '*^ 
Rom. 12 : 5. 

12. As members of one another, what is the duty of each ? 

" That there should be no schism in the body : but that the members should have 
the same care one for another,'''' I Cor. 12 : 25. 



UH\"\^ OV ^LUL\1L\\S. 499 



13. If the church is one, as the body of Christ, what should be its 

united aim? 
" I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the voca- 
tion wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffer- 
ing, forbearing one another in love ; endeavoring to keep the unity of the 
Spirit in the bond of peaces Eph. 4 : I -3. 

14. When the Lord is about to come, how will the true ministers of 

the gospel stand on this point ? 

"Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice ; with the voice together shall they sing : 
i.ox they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion. " Isa. 
52 : 8. 

15. What solemn message, just before the Lord's coming, will bring this 

unity ? 
" And the third angel i.oW.QyN^^ them, saying with a loud voice. If any man worship 
the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 
the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God. . . . Here is the pa- 
tience of the saints : here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the 
faith of Jesiis.'''' Rev. 14:9-12. 

16. When the Lord comes, what will be the united cry of these faithful 

ones ? 

"And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this our God ; we have waited for him, and 
he will save us : this is the Lord ; we have waited for him, M^e will be glad 
and rejoice in his salvation." Isa. 25 : 9. 



<^1 



OW blest the sacred tie that binds 
' In sweet communion kindred minds ! 
How swift the heavenly course they run, 
Whose hearts, whose faith, whose hopes are one ! 

To each the soul of each how dear ! 
What tender love ! what holy fear ! 
How does the generous flame within 
Refine from earth and cleanse from sin ! 

Their streaming eyes together flow 
For human guilt and human woe ; 
Their ardent prayers together rise, 
Like mingling flames in sacrifice. 

Together oft they seek the place 
Where God reveals his shining face ; 
How high, how strong, their raptures swell 
There's none but kindred souls can tell. 




Riches, 




ROM what source comes the power to get wealth ? 

"But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God ; for it is he that giveth 
thee power to get weakh." Deut. 8 : i8. 

2. How may we honor God? 

"Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the first-fruits of all thine 
increase.'''' Prov. 3 : 9. 

3. What caution is given concerning riches ? 

" If riches increase, set 710 1 your heart upon them." Ps. 62 : 10, last clause. 

4. Can riches be retained to our own hurt ? 

"There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the 
• owners thereof to their hurt." Eccl. 5 : 13. 

5. Give examples of this. 

Matt. 19 : 21, 22 ; Mark 10 : 21, 22. 
[ 500 1 



H\CH^S. 501 



6. Is it easy for the rich to enter the kingdom of God ? 

" And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall 
they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God ! " Mark lo : 23. 

7. What charge is given to the rich ? 

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust 
in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to 
enjoy." I Tim. 6:17. 

8. What are they further instructed to do ? 

" That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to 
communicate ; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the 
time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life." i Tim. 6 : 18, 19. 

9. What dangers attend the getting of riches ? 

"But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish 
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition." I Tim. 
6:9. 

10. What makes rich without adding sorrow? 

"The blessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.'' 
Prov. 10 : 22. 

11. How are true riches obtained? 

"By humility and \.h.e. fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life." Prov. 
22 -.4. 

12. Does happiness depend on earthly possessions? 

"And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness ; for a man's 
life consisteth not In the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Luke 
12 : 15. 

13. Will silver or gold be able to deliver in the day of wrath ? 

" Neither their silver nor their gold shall be able to deliver them m the day of the 
Lord's wrath." Zeph. I : 18, first clause. See also Prov. 11:4. 

14. How did Moses esteem the reproaches of Christ? 

" Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt ; for 
he had respect unto the recompense of the reward." Heb. ii : 26. 

15. Mention two classes of rich men. 

"There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing : there is that maketh him- 
self /^cr, yet hath great riches."" Prov. 13 : 7. 

16. Give an example of the first class. 
Luke 12 : 16-20. 

17. What lesson may we learn from this parable? 

" So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.'''' Luke 



502 R\CHLS. 



1 8. What fearful words are addressed to the rich oppressor? 

'■'■YovlX riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and 
silver is cankered ; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and 
shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the 
last days." James 5 : 2, 3. 

19. How may the poor of this world be counted rich ? 

"Hearken, my beloved brethren; hath not God chosen the poor of this world, 
rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that 
love him ? " James 2:5. 

20. Can we estimate the worth of the eternal inheritance ? 

"For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the 
ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for 
him that waiteth for him." Isa. 64 : 4. 



(V^P 



)ABORERS of Christ, arise, 

And gird you for the toil ! 
The dew of promise from the skies 

Already cheers the soil. 

Go where the sick recline, 

Where mourning hearts deplore ; 

And where the sons of sorrow pine, 
Dispense your hallowed store. 

Be faith, which looks above. 

With prayer, your constant guest ; 

And wrap the Saviour's changeless love 
A mantle round your breast. 

So shall you share the wealth 
That earth may ne'er despoil, 

And the blest gospel's saving health 
Repay your arduous toil. 








Debts. 

OES the Lord care whether or not we are prompt in pay- 
ing the poor ? 

"Thou shalt not oppress a hired servant that is poor and needy, 
whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land 
within thy gates : at his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall 
the sun go down upon it ; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it : lest he 
cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.'''' Deut. 24 : 14, 15. 

2. What is said of the hire of the laborers which is kept back by the 

rich men of the last days ? 

"Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of 
you kept back by fraud, crieth ; and the cries of them which have reaped 
are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. " James 5 : 4. 

3. With whom are they classed who defraud the laborer of his hire ? 

" And I will come near to you to judgment ; and I will be a swift witness against 
the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and 
against those that oppress the hireling in his wages." Mai. 3:5. 

4. Will any of these enter the new Jerusalem ? 

"For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and zvhoremongers, and murderers, and idol- 
aters, and whosoever loveth and niaketh a liey Rev. 22 : 15. 

5. How does the Bible reprove those who stint their laborers ? 

"For the Scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. 
And, The laborer is worthy of his reward.'''' I Tim. 5:18. " Thou shalt not 
defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him : the wages of him that is hired shall 
not abide with thee all night until the morning." Lev. 19 : 13. 

6. Are we responsible for the loss by theft of goods that were in- 

trusted to our care ? 

"If the thief be not found, then the master of the house shall be brought unto the 
judges, to see whether he have put his hand unto his neighbor's goods." 
"And if it be stolen from him, he shall make restitution unto the ow7ier thereof _ 
If it be torn in pieces, then let him bring it for witness, and he shall not make 
good that which was torn." Ex. 22 : 8, 12, 13. 

[503] 



50 J: \)LB1S 



7. Do we become debtors through our own negligence ? 

"If fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks of corn, or the standing 
corn, or the field be consumed tlierewitli ; he that kmdled the fire shall surely 
make restitution.'''' Ex. 22 : 6. 

8. If a man wantonly or with malice aforethought, commits injury or 

entails loss, what redress is required of him ? 

" If a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and shall put in his beast, and 
shall feed in another man's field ; of the best of his own field, and of the best 
of Ills own vineyard, shall he make restitution.''^ Ex. 22 : 5. 

9. Does God's code hold one responsible for what he hires ? 

"And if a man borrow aught of his neighbor, and it be hurt, or die, the owner 
thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good. But if the owner 
thereof be with it, he shall not make it good : if it be a hired thing, it came 
for his hire." Ex. 22 : 14, 15. 

0. What is said concerning those who lend upon usury ? 

" Thou shall not lend upoii tisury [exhorbitant interest] to thy brother , usury of 
money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury." Deut. 
23 : 19. 

1. Do we owe one another even deeds of kindness ? 

"If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it 
back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under 
his burden, and wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with 
him." Ex. 23 : 4, 5. 

2. How does the apostle Paul cover the whole subject ? 

" Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to 
whom custom ; fear to whom fear ; honor to whom honor. Owe no man any- 
thing, but to love one another." Rom. 13 : 7, 8. 



-#H^4^#- 





^rusting in Jesus. 



HAT did an Old Testament prophet predict of Christ ? 

"And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an 
ensign of the people ; to it shall the Gentiles seek : and his rest shall be 
glorious." Isa. ii : lo. 

2. How does the apostle render this prophecy ? 

"And again, Esaias saith, There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shall rise to 
reign over the Gentiles ; in him shall the Gentiles trust.'''' Rom. 15 : 12. 

3. What were the apostles, who first trusted in Christ, to become ? 

"That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ." Eph. 
I : 12, They became so by being the means of spreading the "good news" 
before others, and thus helping them also to believe. 

4. What did the Ephesians do upon hearing the message of truth ? 

'■'■ In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of 
your salvation." Verse 13, first part, 

5. What returns did they receive from their proposed trust? 

" In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of 
promise.^'' Last part of same verse. 
Note. — It will be noticed that this last-quoted text makes trust and l> e lief synoxi- 
ymous. To trust in Jesus, is to believe in him fully, and to have an undi- 
vided affection for him ; after which, and not before, they may be sealed by 
the Holy Spirit. 

[505] 




[5o6] 



DANIEL'S TRUST. 



'WW^S'WUO \U ^LSUS. 507 



6. To whom does the gospel become the power of God ? 

" For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ ; for it is the power o± God unto 
salvation to every one that believeth ; to the Jew first and also to the Greek." 
Rom. I : i6. 

7. But suppose one halts in his faith or trust ; how is he regarded by 

the Lord ? 

"Now the just shall live by faith ; but if any man draw hack, my soul shall have 
no pleasure in himy Heb. 10:38. 

8. By what does one gain the victory over the world ? 

*' For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the v^^orld ; and this is the victory that 
overcometh the world, even our faith.'''' I John 5 : 4. 

9. In the struggles with temptations, if one trusts in Jesus, how will 

he show it ? 

"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the 
world ye shall have tribulation ; but be of good cheer ; I have overcome the 
world." John 16 : 33. 

Note. — When one has no earthly friend in whom to trust in time of trial, he 
invariably becomes gloomy through discouragement ; but if he confides in the 
One whom he fully believes to be able to bring him safely through, his coun- 
tenance will wear a calm, peaceful, cheerful look, born of the trust he has in 
Jesus. 

10. But is there not some other help in the work of overcoming, be- 

sides a silent trust in Christ ? 

" And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testi- 
mony ; and they loved not their lives unto the death." Rev. 12 : ii. 

11. But besides receiving power to overcome our foes, are there not 

temporal benefits to be derived from trusting in Jesus ? 

"For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. 
But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said. Daughter, be of 
good comfort ; thy faith hath made thee zvhole. And the woman was made 
whole from that hour." Matt. 9:21, 22. See also Mark 10:52; Luke 
17 : 19, and others. Probably these were cases of the first exercise of saving 
faith on the part of those whose lives had not been exemplary ; but Daniel's 
unwavering trust when cast into the den of lions, as well as on other occasions, 
was due to the fact that he served God " continually." Only by obedience is 
trust rendered consistent and implicit. Of the circumstance referred to in the 
case of Daniel, it is recorded that "no manner of hurt was found upon him, 
because he believed in his God.'''' Dan. 6. 








\)^K\W kU^ UVL K^L \n TVAt POV^^R OV TH£ T0UGV3^. 



#^^^#^#^^^i^^^^=^^=^^# 

:^^^^.#^^^^ 




0ur W)o^^s, 



^'0^ 




HAT righteous rules are given to govern speech ? 

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth." Eph. 4:29. 
" But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of 
conversation." I Peter l : 15. 

2. What precious promise is written for those who follow these 

directions ? 

" To him that ordereth his conversation aright 7vi// I sho7v the salvation of God.'''' 
Ps. 50 : 23. 

3. What is said of the happy condition of such a one ? 

" Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles.'''' Prov. 
21 :23. 

4. Does it show wisdom sometimes to say nothing? 

" Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise ; and he that shutteth 
his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.'''' Prov. 17 : 28. 

5. What influence have kind words, and their opposite, over others? 

" A soft answer turneth a^vay wrath ; but grievous words stir up anger.'''' Prov. 
15:1. 

6. Is there life-giving power in pure speech ? 

"A wholesome tongue is a tree of life.'''' Prov. 15 : 4. 

7. How deeply does the tongue of evil wound? 

" There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword.'''' Prov, 12 : 18. 

8. What scathing words are spoken of the hypocritical tongue, and 

what sentence pronounced ? 

" Thou loves t all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue ! God shall also 
destroy thee forever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwell- 
ing-place, and root thee out of the land of the living." Ps. 52 14, 5. 
[508] 



OV^R Vy|OR\^S. 509 



9. Contrast the abiding future of the truthful, with the brief contin- 
uance of such as speak falsely. 

"The lip of truth shall be established forever ; but a lying tongue is hnt for a 
rnoinent.'''' Prov. 12 : 19. 

10. Are words a sure index of the heart? 

" For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. " Matt. 12 : 34. 

1 1. What is said of the man who offends not in word ? 

"If any man offend not in word, the same is -a. perfect man, and able also to bridle 
the whole body." James 3 : 2. 

12. What is said of the professed Christian whose language is unbe- 

coming ? 

"If any man among you seem to be religiou.s, and bridleth not his tongue, . . . 
this mart' s religion is vain.''^ James I : 26. 

13. Will our words have weight in the judgment? 

"For by thy words thou shalt h^ justified, and by thy words thou shalt be con- 
demned.'''' Matt. 12:37. 

14. By these forcible scriptures, what startling truth is established? 
" Death and life are in the power of the tongue." Prov. 18 : 21. 

15. What should be the constant prayer of each heart ? 

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in 
thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeem'er." Ps. 19 : 14. 



^^^^ 



V'ND must I be to judgment brought, 
^ And answer in that day 

For every vain and idle thought, 
And every word I say ? 

Yes ; every secret of my heart 
Shall shortly be made known, 

And I receive my just desert 
For all that I have done. 

Thou awful Judge of quick and dead. 
The watchful power bestow ; 

So shall I to my ways take heed. 
In all I speak or do. 



% 



"RL^O\GL LNJLRHORI 





QheeT{fu\ness, 

HAT is said of the heavy-hearted, and the effect of cheering 
words upon such ? 
"Heaviness in the heart of man niaketh it stoop ; but a good word 



iketh it s^lad. 



Prov. 12 : 25. 



2. What is the influence of cheerfulness upon the sad and 
despondent? 

" A merry heart doefh good like a me die hie ; but a broken spirit drieth the bones." 
Prov. 17 : 22. 

3. What did Job exclaim when well-meaning friends came to him in 

a time of sore trouble, with words of reproach ? 

" I have heard many such things : miserable co77iforters are ye all." Job 16:2. 

4. What did he say would have been the case had their circumstances 

been reversed ? 

" I also could speak as ye do : if your soul were in my soul's stead, I could heap up 
words against you, and shake mine head at you : but I would strengthen you with 
my mouth, and the moving of my lips should assuage your grief." Job 16 : 
4, 5- 

5. Are not those who have suffered and been comforted of God, best 

able to comfort others ? 

" Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, 
and the God of all comfort, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we 
may be able to comfort them, which are in any trouble by the comfort where- 
with we ourselves are comforted of God.'''' 2 Cor. i : 3, 4. 

6. What beautiful promise is written for the upright in heart ? 

'■*■ Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart." Ps. 
97: II. 

[510] 



CV\LLRVU\_HLSS. 511 



7. What should be the language of the heart that has experienced 

help from God ? 

"Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing : thou hast put off my sack- 
cloth, and girded me with gladness." Ps. 30 : 11. 

8. What should be the spirit of our service toward God ? 

"Serve the Lord with gladness : come before his presence with singing.'''' Ps. 
100 : 2. 

9. Mention a special cause for good cheer. 

"Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee.'" Matt. 9:2, last part. 
" Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered." 
Rom. 4 : 7. 

10. For what does the psalmist say he will greatly rejoice ? 

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord. My soul shall be joyful in my God ; for he 
hath clothed me zvith the garments of salvation ; he hath covered me with the 
robe of righteotcsness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and 
as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels." Isa. 61 : 10. 

11. Under what adverse circumstances may the Christian be joyful in 

God? 

" Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from 
their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for 
the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy ; for, behold, 
your reward is great in heaven." Luke 6 : 22, 23. 

12. What gracious words spoken by the Saviour to his disciples, reach 

down through the ages to us ? 

" These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the 
world ye shall have tribulation ; but be of good cheer^ I have overcome the 
world." John 16 : 33. 

13. What special cause for encouragement is given us by virtue of 

Christ's victory over the world ? 

" To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also 
overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne." Rev. 3:21. 

14. How constant should the Christian's rejoicing be? 

" Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say. Rejoice." Phil. 4 : 4. 



'-^^tf'^^^ 




what extent did the wise man test the j^leasures of the world ? 

''Whatsoever my eyes desired I kept not from them ; I withheld not my heart 
from any joy." Eccl. 2 : lo. "I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will 
prove thee with mirth ; therefore enjoy pleasure." Verse i. 

2. How much true enjoyment did such a course afford ? 

" Behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the 
sun." Eccl. 2 : II. " Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful ; and the end 
of that mirth is heaviness." Prov. 14: 13. 

3. To whom alone is such mirth enjoyable ? 

•' Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom." Prov. 15 : 21. 

4. What conclusion did the wise man reach ? 

''Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly as far as light excelleth darkness." Eccl. 
2: 13. 

5o Why is sobriety preferable to levity ? 

'* Sorrow is better than laughter : for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is 
made better." Eccl. 7:3. " It is better to go to the house of mourning than 
to go to the house of feasting ; for that is the end of all men ; and the living 
will lay it to his heart." Verse 2. 

6. Of what does the wise man bid the young to be mindful, even in 
the pursuit of pleasure ? 

" Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth ; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of 
thy youth ; and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes ; 
but know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." 
Eccl. II : 9. 

7o What injunction to sobriety does the apostle give in his epistle to 
Titus ? 

*'That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in pa- 
tience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh 
holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things ; 
that they may teach the young women to be sober. . . . Young men likewise 
exhort to be sober-minded." Titus 2 : 2-6. 
[512] 



SO^?.\U^(. 513 



8. What similar advice is given in the epistle to the Romans ? 

" Let us walk honestly, as in the day ; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in cham- 
bering and wantonness, not in strife and envying." Rom. 13 : 13. 

9. What testimony does the apostle Peter bear on this point? 

"Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober and hope to the end for the 
grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 
I Peter i : 13. 

10. Why is vigilance especially necessary ? 

" Be sober, be vigilant ; because your adversary the Devil, as a roaring lion, walk- 
eth about, seeking whom he may devour." I Peter 5 : 8. 

11. What other consideration should lead us to sobriety ? 

" But the end of all things is at hand; be ye therefore sober, and watch unto 
prayer." 2 Peter 4 : 7. 



-^-^k^:- 



P 



OW vain are all things here below ! 

How false, and yet how fair ! 
Each pleasure hath its poison too. 

And every sweet a snare. 

The brightest things below the sky 
Give but a flattering light ; 

We should suspect some danger nigh 
Where we possess delight. 

Our dearest joys, and nearest friends, 
The partners of our blood, — 

How they divide our wavering minds. 
And leave but half for God ! 

My Saviour, let thy beauties be 

My soul's eternal food ; 
And grace command my heart away 

From all created good. 




33 




[5141 



THE CONFUSION OF TONGUES. 




And iheij died before the Lord.' 

Pi^esumption. 

;HAT is the definition oi p7^esumptio7i ? 

>VmW{n " ^^^ ^""^ ""^ believing upon probable evidence, or taking for granted • 
\^l^ belief upon incomplete proof; opinion. . . . The act of venturing beyond 

due bounds ; forward, venturesome, over-confident, or arrogant opinion or 

conduct ; unreasonable confidence." — Webster. 

How does God look upon presumption ? and what penalty does 
he visit for the same ? 

'But the soul that doeth aught presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, 
or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; ajui that sotil shall be cut off 
from among his people." Num. 15 : 30. 

If a prophet of old presumed to speak in the name of God that 

which he had not commanded, what was the result ? 
■ But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have 
not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, 
even that prophet shall die.'' Deut. 18 : 20. 

[515] 



516 ?HLSV^VJ\?T\OU, 



4. When the Israelites, without God's consent, attempted to fight 

against the Canaanites on the border of the promised land, 
what came of it ? 

" But they presumed to go up unto the hill-top : nevertheless the ark of the cov- 
enant of the Lord, and Moses, departed not out of the camp. Then the 
Amalekites came down, and the Canaanites which dwelt in that hill, and 
smote them, and discomfited them, even unto Hormah." Num. 14 144, 45. 

5. When the antediluvians persisted in their evil course, what was 

finally withdrawn from them ? 
"And the Lord said. My Spirit shall not always strive with man." Gen. 6:3. 
God would not have withdrawn his Spirit from them had they not been 
insulting him by doing what they knew was wrong. In other words, they 
were sinning willfully. 

6. Of what presumptuous act were men guilty soon after the flood ? 

"And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach 
unto heaven." Gen. 11:4. 

7. What did the Lord say of them? 

"And the Lord said. Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language ; 
and this they begin to do : and now notJiitig will be restrained from tJievi, 
which they have imagined to do.'''' Gen. 1 1 : 6. 

8. W^at befell them in consequence of their presumption ? 

"The Lord did there confound the language of all the earth ; and from thence did 
the Lord scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." Verse 9. 

9. What befell Nadab and Abihu for their presumption in offering 

strange fire that the Lord had not commanded ? 

"And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and 
put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the 
Lord, which he commanded them not. And there went out fire from the 
Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord.'''' Lev. 10 : I, 2. 

10. How was the little horn, the papacy, to show its presumption? 

" And he [the little horn] shall speak great words against the Most High, and shall 
wear out the saints of the Most High, and think to change times and laws.'''' 
Dan. 7 : 25. 

11. What is this power, therefore, called by the apostle? 

"And that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition ; who opposeth, and exalt- 
eth himself above all that is called God." 2 Thess. 2 : 3, 4. 

12. What does the psalmist call the sin of presumption? 

" Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins ; let them not have dominion 
over me ; then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great trans- 
gression.''' Ps. 19:13. 

13. What admonition does the apostle give concerning our course 

toward the truth ? 

"And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of 
redemption." Eph. 4:30. 




Birpocrisi/- 




HxlT was the leaven of the Pharisees said to be ? 



■'Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.'''' Luke 
12 : I. Hypocrisy. — "A feigning to be what one is not ; or dissimu- 
lation, a concealment of one's real character or motives ; especially, the 
assuming of a false appearance of virtue or religion." — Webster. 

Note. — The leaven of the Pharisees was their corrupting doctrines. By receiv- 
ing these, one would learn to be a hypocrite ; i. <f., to pretend to be what he 
was not. 

. In what way did the Pharisees show themselves to be hypocrites ? 

" Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh 
unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips ; but their heart is 
far from me.'' Matt. 15 : 7, 8. 

. How had the Saviour shown that their hearts were not with the 
Lord? 

'■'■ For God commanded, saying. Honor thy father and mother. . . . But ye say, 
Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou 
mightest be profited by me ; and honor not his father or his mother, he shall be 
free. Thus have ye made the commandmeitt of God of norie effect by your tradi- 
tion.'''' Verses 4-6. In other words, these people claimed to be God's serv- 
ants, but changed the commandments of God to their liking, and thus de- 
stroyed their force upon the heart and life. This made the Pharisees hypo- 
crites. 

.. AVhat other sign of insincerity did they manifest ? 

" And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are ; for they love to 
pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may 
be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward." Matt. 6 : 5. 

[517] 




[5i8j 



" 1 Thank Thee that I Am not as Other Men Are." 



V\^?OC.R\S^. 519 



5. What did Christ call those who so readily saw the faults of others, 
but did not correct their own ? 

" Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye ; and then shalt thou 
see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." Matt. 7 : 5. 

■6. What is the real work of a hypocrite ? 

" A hypocrite with his mouth destroy eth his neighbor.'''' Prov. 1 1 .-9. 

7. What eminent man was once nearly sacrificed by the dissimulations 

(really, hypocrisy) of some Jews and one of the apostles ? 

" And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him [Peter] ; insomuch that Barna- 
bas also zvas carried azvay with their dissimulation." Gal. 2 : 13. 
Note. — Ignorance is not hypocrisy. One can only be a hypocrite when acting 
something which he knows he is not. 

8. Why did Paul say he opposed Peter in the work he was doing at 

that time ? 

" But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was 
to be blamed.'''' Verse ii. 
Note. — There is every reason to believe that Peter afterward cleared himself 
from this great mistake, as we find him exhorting all to lay aside hypocrisies 
(I Peter 2 : i, 2) if they would grow by the use of the word of God. 

9. What will become of the hypocrite's hope ? 

"So are the paths of all that forget God ; and the hypocrite'' s hope shall perish.'''' 
Job 8 : 13. 

10. What did David say he would not do ? 

"I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in zvith dissemblers.'''' Ps. 
26 : 4. Dissemblers and hypocrites are the same. 

11. How pure should one's love be for another? 
"Let love be without dissimulation." Rom. 12 : 9. 

12. If one has true heavenly wisdom, what kind of fruits will he bear ? 

"But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy 
to be intreated, full of mercy <x.nd good fruits, without partiality, and zvithout 
hypocrisy.'''' James 3:17. 

13. Where does the Saviour class those who profess to believe in the 

Lord's coming, and yet by their actions show that their hearts 
are not in the matter ? 

" And shall cut him asunder, and appoint hifjz his portion zvith the hypocrites; 
there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 24 : 51. 




Y?v^^VX ^L HM^ R^CLVNtD, VRLtU G.\\i^. 



Dispensing good where'er He came. 
The labors of his life were love; 

Then if we bear the Saviour's name, 
By his example let us move." 



Selfishness. 



ELFISHNESS is how defined by Webster ? 

'That supreme self-love or self- preference which leads a person to direct his 
purposes to the advancement of his own interest, power, or happiness, 
without regarding those of others.'" 

2. What specific commandment forbids this sin? 

"Thou shalt not covet." Ex. 20 : 17. 

3. Selfishness, then, is contrary to what law ? 

"If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor 
as thyself, ye do well." James 2 : 8. 

4. How does it show itself in the conduct of an individual ? 

{ I . ) As Lovers of Self. — ' ' For men shall be lovers of their owti selves, covetous. ' ' 

2 Tim. 3 : 2. 
(2.) As Pleasing Ourselves. — "We then that are strong ought to bear the 

infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.'''' Rom. 15 : i. 
(3.) As Seeking Our Own. — " Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking 

mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved." i Cor. 

10 : 33- 
( 4.) As Seeking after Gain. — " Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have 

enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand : they all look to 

their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter." Isa. 56 : 11. 
(5.) As Seeking Undue Precedence. — " Grant that these my two sons may sit, the 

one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom." Matt. 

20 : 21. 
(6.) As Neglect of the Poor. — " But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his 

brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how 

dwelleth the love of God in him ? " i John 3:17. 
(7.) As Perfoi-ming Duty for Reward. — "The heads thereof judge for reward, 

and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for 

money ; yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us ? 

none evil can come upon us." Micah 3:11. 

[520] 



SLVV\SVAULSS. 521 



5. Show that selfishness is inconsistent with the communion of 

saints. 

"There should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the 
same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members 
suffer with it ; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it." 

1 Cor. 12 : 25, 26. Read the connection from verse 12. 

6. Prove that it is contrary to Christian charity, or love. 

"Charity envieth not ; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not be- 
have itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no 
evil." I Cor. 13 : 4, 5. 

7. How are we admonished with regard to selfishness ? 

" Let no man seek his own." I Cor. 10 : 24. " Look not every man on his own 
things, but every man also on the things of others." Phil. 2 : 4. Read also 
Zech. 7 : 9, 10. 

8. By what means may we overcome selfishness ? 

" For the love of Christ constraineth us ; because we thus judge, that if one died 
for all, then were all dead : and that he died for all, that they which live 
should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, 
and rose again." 2 Cor. 5 : 14, 15. 

9. How prevalent is this sin ? 

"For all seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's." Phil. 2 : 21. 

10. What among other things will help to make the last days a perilous 

time? 

"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall 
be lovers of their own selves, covetous," etc. 2 Tim. 3 : i, 2. 

11. Can we be followers of Christ without overcoming selfishness ? 

" If any man wull come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and 
follow me." Matt. 16 : 24. 

12. Show that Christ condemned selfishness by his example. 

"For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet 
for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." 

2 Cor. 8:9. " For even Christ pleased not himself." Rom. 15:3. 

13. What should this lead us to do ? 

"Let every one of us please his neighbor for his good to edification." Rom. 
15:2. 

14. What example has the apostle Paul given us in this respect? 

" Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit 
of many, that they may be saved." i Cor. 10 : 33 ; 9 : 19-23. 



522 



SL\_V\S^HLSS. 



15. Give some Bible examples of selfishness. 

Cain (Gen. 4:9); Nabal (I Sam. 25 : 3, ll) ; Haman (Esther 6:6); princes 
(Isa. I : 23) ; priests (Isa. 56 : 10, ll) ; James and John (Mark 10 : 35-37); 
the multitude (John 6 : 24-26). 

16. What is the condition, and what will be the final punishment, of 

those who continue to be governed by selfishness ? 

" Woe unto them ! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after 
the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 
These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding 
themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of 
winds ; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by 
the roots ; raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame ; wandering 
stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever." Jude 11-13. 



HEN, my Saviour, shall I be 
Perfectly resigned to thee ? 
Poor and vile in my own eyes. 
Only in thy wisdom wise ; 

Only thee content to know. 
Ignorant of all below ; 
Only guided by thy light. 
Only mighty in thy might ? 

Fully in my life express 
All the hights of holiness ; 
Sweetly let my spirit prove 
All the depths of humble love. 






GnY)\f and Jealousx/*. 

IVE Solomon's words concerning the over-powering strength 
of envy. 

^ "Wrath is cruel, and anger is outrageous; but zvho is able to stand be- 
^fe^^ fore envy ? " Pro v. 27 : 4. 

2. What scripture shows the exceeding cruelty of jealousy? 

"Jealousy is cruel as the grave : the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath 
a most vehement flame." Cant. 8 : 6, last part. 

3. What striking illustration do we find of this ? 

" Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one and slew his brother. And wherefore 
slew he him ? Because his own works were evil and his brother's righteous." 
I John 3: 12. [523] 



J^ 




[524] 



RESULT OF CAIN'S ENVY. 



LH\1^ f\UD ^LI\V.OViS^. 525 



4. Can a man be a murderer in spirit? 

'■'■Whoso hateth his brother is a murderer." i John 3 : 15. 

5. Give other circumstances where men have been controlled by an 

envious spirit, and state the result. 

"And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt.'''' Acts 7 ; 9. 
"But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake 
against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradictijig and blasphem- 
ing:' Acts 13 : 45- 

6. What is the condition of things where envy reigns ? 

" For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.'''' James 
3:16. 

7. What effect does envy have upon its possessor? 

"For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one." Job 5 : 2. 
" A sound heart is the life of the flesh : but envy, the rotteitness of the bones.'''' 
Prov, 14 : 30. 

8. Show the persistency of those who are actuated by envy. 

" Full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity, whisperers, . . . who knoiving 
the judgment of God., that they which commit such thin^ are worthy of death., 
not only do the safne, but have pleasure in them that do them.''"' Rom. 
I : 29-32. 

9. How free from malice should the child of God be, even toward an 

enemy ? 

''■Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he 
stumbleth." Prov. 24 : 17. "But I say unto you. Love your enemies, bless 
them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which 
despitefully use you and persecute you." Matt. 5 : 44. 

[o. Will any be saved who retain the spirit of envy in the heart? 

" Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and such like: of the which I tell 
you before, as I have told you in time past, that they which do such things 
shall not inherit the kingdom of God.''"' Gal. 5 • 21. 

[I. Is this sentence just ? 

" But we are jz^ri? that the judgment of God is according to truth against them 
which commit such things." Rom. 2 : 2. 

12. What is the fountain from which both good and evil spring? 

"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is 
good ; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that 
which is evil." Luke 6 : 45. 

[3. Then why should the heart be watched closely ? 

"Keep thy heart with all diligence, /br out of it are the issues of life.''' Prov. 
4:23. 




iin. 




(^j/^OW is sin defined by the apostle 



Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law 
gressioii of the laiv.'''' I John 3 : 4. 



for sin is tJie trans- 



2. Name the root of all evil. 

"Then when lust [unlawful desire] hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin." James 
I :I5. 
Note. — \yhile it is true that in i Tim, 6: 10, the English translation reads, 
"The love of money is the root of all evil," we are also confronted with the 
fact that there are some evils which we cannot trace to any love of money 
whatever. The original word from which, in that place, comes "love of 
money," may also be rendered desire of money ^ or covetousness. If we say 
that such lust is the root of all evil to the one entertaining it, that may be 
true ; for evil desire may be the great besetment of his life ; but the love of 
money is only one of the many lusts cherished, and from which come evils 
innumerable. Then Paul's statement to Timothy may be regarded in this 
light : The love of money is a root of all evil. It is a rule in Greek that when 
any specific thing or person is referred to, the definite article the is used ; as, 
the tree, that is, that particular tree ; or the Peter, the particular Peter with 
whom you are acquainted. But when only things in general are spoken of, 
the article is omitted. In this case the article is omitted, which gives the 
text, " For the love of money is a root of all evil," This is in harmony with 
James 1:15. There, lust in general, of which the love of money is only a 
part, brings forth sin. 

3. What is the fruit of sin ? 

"And sin, when it is finished, britigeth forth death.'''' James i : 15. 

4. Can man free himself from the dominion of sin ? 

"Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? then may ye also do 
good, that are accustomed to do evil.'''' Jer. 13 : 23. 

5. How, then, can it be said that man is morally a free agent ? 

" And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." John 5 : 40. 

6. When the divine offer of help is rejected, why does not God im- 

mediately inflict upon man the threatened penalty ? 

[526] 



S\H. 527 

" Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering ; 
not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentattce .^ " Rom. 2 : 4. 

7. What motive actuates God to pursue this course ? 

" For I have no pleasure m the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God ; where- 
fore turn yourselves, and live ye." Eze. 18:32. That is, God bears with 
the sinner, to give him an opportunity to repent, because when he has passed 
his earthly career, there is no longer opportunity for repentance. 

8. Is the guilt of Adam's transgression imputed to his descendants ? 

" The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the 
father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son : the righteousness 
of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be 
upon him." Eze. 18:20. 

9. Then what is transmitted to them ? 

"Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our 
flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the 7nind ; and were by nature 
the children of wrath, even as others." Eph. 2 :3. 

10. What has Christ suffered for sinners ? 

"But he was wounded iox o\\.x transgressions, he was bruised tor our iniquities ; the 
chastisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we are healed." 
Isa. 53:5. 

11. Why was Christ compelled to suffer in the flesh? 

" Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself 
likewise took part of the same ; that through death he might destroy him that 
had the power of death, that is, the Devil.'''' Heb. 2 : 14. 

12. Could Christ have paid the penalty for sin in any other way ? 

" But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it ; for in 
the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.'''' Gen. 2:17. " My 
covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone otit of my lips.''"' 
Ps. 89:34. 
Note. — " The wages of sin is death." Rom. 6:23. If man was ever to be 
reconciled to God, after having incurred the death penalty, it was necessary 
for Christ to taste death for every one under the sentence of death, in order 
to satisfy justice, and give man a hope of redemption. There was no other 
way in which God could be just, and yet justify, or make just, the sinner, 
except by having Christ, the sinless one, die for those under the sentence of 
death (i Peter 3 : 18), and then to declare the righteousness of Christ in behalf 
of the sorrowing, penitent, believing sinner. Rom. 3 :25, 26. 

13. Is there a promise that all sins will be pardoned? 

" If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he 
shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto 
death ; I do not say that he shall pray for it.'''' I John 5 • 16. 



528 S\H. 

Note. — It seems from this that there is a sm which is unto death. This sin is 
referred to by the Saviour, who terms it the "sin against the Holy Ghost." 
That was explained by him to be blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This 
can be done, as in the case of the Pharisees, by attributing the work of the 
Spirit to the agency of Satan. It may also be done by willfully sinning against 
the admonitions of the Spirit until it has been grieved away for the last time. 
To be left without the promptings of the Spirit, is to be left without hope of 
heaven. 

14. What precedes remission of sin? 

" He that covereth his sins shall not prosper ; but whoso coiifesseth and forsaketh 
them shall have mercy." Prov. 28 : 13. 

15. What follows ? 

"Then Peter said unto them. Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the 
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of 
the Holy Ghost." Acts 2 : 38. 

16. Will the reign of sin ever come to an end ? 

"And every creatu7'e which, is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, 
and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, 
and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, 
and unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5 : 13. 

17. When will its effects be removed? 

"But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night ; in the which the 
heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and tJie elements shall melt with 
fervent heat, the earth also and the zvorks that are therein shall be burned up.'''' 
2 Peter 3 : 10. 

18. Why must the earth be purified? 

" And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, 
and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying. Thou shalt 
not eat of it : cursed is the ground for thy sake ; in sorrow shalt thou eat of 
it all the days of thy life." Gen. 3:17. 

19. How thoroughly will the effects of sin be removed ? 

" And God shall tvipe azvay all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more 
death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain ; for 
ih&fo7'7)ier things are passed away. ''' Rev. 21 : 4. 





TVA^Rt \S UOU^ OTVAEP. UKVA^ V^UQLR HtKMtU G\^LH k^OH^ \^LU, NNVA^^L^^ 

SalY)ation. 

OR what purpose did Christ come into the world ? 

This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus 
came into the world to save sinners ; of whom I am chief." I Tim. 
I :i5. 

Can we obtain salvation through any other source ? 

' Neither is there salvation in any other : for there is none other name ttnder 
heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12. 

3. From what does Christ save his people ? 

"Thou shalt call his name Jesus ; for he shall save his people from their sins.'" 
Matt. I : 21. 

4. In the case of the woman who washed the Saviour's feet in the 

house of Simon the Pharisee, what was said to her because of 
her act? 

"And he said to the woman. Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace." Luke 

7 : 50- 
Note. — It cannot be supposed that this woman had nothing more to do to secure 
eternal salvation. The word here used to express the forgiveness of sins she 
then received, simply means to preserve safe and tinJianned, to make whole, 
to cure^ heal, etc., as in Matt. 8 : 25 ; 9 :2i, 22. At that time she had been 
healed of her sinful condition, and in that sense only was saved. The next 
hour, if she again gave way to temptation, would place her on the list of sin- 
ners who would need to seek the Saviour for the forgiveness of sin. She was 
saved from her past sins, provided she continued faithful to the end. 
34 1^529] 



530 ^\^V.L \^LK\)\UGS. 



5. Who only will finally be saved? 

"But he that shall endure tinto the end, the same shall be saved." Matt. 24 : 13. 

6. If one has had the assurance of sins forgiven, but has afterward 

turned from his righteousness, what will be the result ? 

" But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth 
iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man 
doeth, shall he live ? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be 
mentioned : in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath 
sinned, in them shall he die." Eze. 18 : 24. 

7. In the parable, when one who owed his lord ten thousand talents 

was unable to pay, at his own request what did his master do 
for him ? 

'•Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and' 
forgave him the debty Matt. 18 : 27. 

8. After receiving forgiveness for his enormous debt, what did the 

servant do to another who owed him but a hundred pence, and 
asked for mercy ? 

" And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have 
patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he %vould not : but tvent and 
cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt." Verses 29, 30. 

9. What was then done with this unmerciful servant ? 

"Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked serv- 
ant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me. Shouldest not 
thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on 
thee ? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he- 
should pay all that zvas due unto him.''"' Verses 32-34. 

10. What application of the parable did the Saviour make? 

" So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts- 
forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." Verse 35. 

Note. — It will be seen that though the servant in the parable had been forgiven 
the great debt he had incurred, and was conditionally saved from its conse-v 
quences, yet because he did not do right toward others, that debt was again 
rolled on him, and he suffered or was held in bondage for it, just the same as 
though it had not been forgiven. But what gives this parable force, is the 
application our Saviour makes of it, as referred to in the last text quoted. 
From that it is positive that one's eternal salvation is not secured until he has- 
endured to the end. 

11. What is the end, object, or design of one's faith ? 

" Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.'''' I Peter I :9„ 

12. Does one receive this salvation when he first fully believes ? 



s^L^^■T\ou. 531 



"And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep ; for 
now is our salvation nearer than zvhen tue believed.''^ Rom. 13 : ll. That is, 
they had not yet received salvation, though having believed, but were coming 
nearer to it. 

13. How is one kept, or preserved, until that salvation is given ? and 

when is it to be revealed ? 

" Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be 
revealed in the last time.'''' I Peter 1:5. 

14. Who will receive that salvation ? 

" So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many ; and unto them that look for 
him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.'''' Heb. 9 : 28. 



^MAZING grace ! how sweet the sound 
^ That saved a wretch like me ! 
I once was lost, but now am found ; 
Was blind, but now I see. 

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, 
And grace my fears relieved ; 

How precious did that grace appear, 
The hour I first believed ! 

Through many dangers, toils, and snares, 

I have already come ; 
'T is grace hath brought me safe thus far. 
And grace will lead me home. 

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow, 

The sun forbear to shine ; 
But God, who called me here below, 

Will be forever mine. 







Once did the skies before thee bow 
A virgin's arms contain thee now: 
Angels, who did in thee rejoice. 
Now listen to thy infant voice. 



prophecies Relating to G^^'ist. 



N what words did Moses speak of Christ ? 

"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of 
thee, of thy brethren, like unto me, unto him ye shall hearken." Deut. 
18:15. 

2. How may we know that the Prophet here spoken of is Christ ? 

" For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise 
up unto you of your brethren, like unto me." "Yea, and all the prophets 
from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have like- 
wise foretold of these days." Acts 3 : 22, 24. 

3. Of whom was he to be born ? 

" Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign : Behold, a virgin shall conceive, 
and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." Isa. 7 : 14. 

4. Where was he to be born ? 

'■'■ But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of 
Judah, yet out of thee shall he co7ne forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel." 
Micah 5 : 2. 



5. Was this prediction fulfilled ? 

"Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the kinj 



Matt. 



6. How was his advent to be heralded? 

' ' The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord , 
make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Isa. 40 : 3. 
[532] 



?^0?VA^G\^S R^\_kl\HG 10 CVAR\S1. 533 

7. By whom was this fulfilled ? 

" And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jeru- 
salem to ask him, Who art thou ? " " He said, I avi the voice of ojie crying in 
the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet 
Esaias." John I : 19, 23. 

8. What other sign was to mark his advent ? 

"There shall come a Star out of Jacob and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel." 
Num. 24 : 17. 

9. To whom did this star appear? 

"There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying. Where is he that is born 
King of the Jews ? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to 
worship him." "And, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before 
them, till it came and stood over where the young child was." Matt. 2 : 
I, 2, 9. 

10. What was predicted of the little children in connection with the 

birth of Christ ? 

"A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping ; Rachel weeping- 
far her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were 
not:' Jer. 31 : 15. 

11. How were these words of the prophet verified ? 

"Then Herod, when he saw that he M^as mocked of the wise men, was exceeding 
wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and 
in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time 
which he had diligently inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that 
which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying. In Rama was there a voice 
heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her 
children, and would not be comforted, because they are not." Matt. 2 : 
16-18. 

12. How was he to be received by his own people ? 

" He is despised and rejected of men ; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief : 
and we hid as it were our faces from him ; he was despised, and we esteemed 
him not." Isa. 53 : 3- 

13. Did this prophecy prove true ? 

" He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 
He came unto his own, and his own received him not." John l : 10, 11. 

14. What was predicted of his preaching? 

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me ; because the Lord hath anointed me to 
preach good tidings unto the meek ; he hath sent me to bind up the broken- 
hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to 
them that are bound." Isa. 61 : i. 




[534] "If These Should Hold Their Peace, the Stones Would 
Immediately Cry Out" 



?\^0?V\^C\^S RL\_^^\HG 10 C\A?v\Sl. 535 

15. In what way was this prediction verified ? 

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up : and, as his custom 
was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 
And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when 
he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written. The Spirit of 
the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the 
poor : he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to 
the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that 
are bruised. . . . And he began to say unto them. This day is this scripture 
fulfilled in your ears." Luke 4 : 16-21. 

16. How was it said he would do when on trial ? 

" He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth : he is 
brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is 
dumb, so he openeth 7iot his mouth.'''' Isa. 53 : 7. 

17. When accused by his enemies before Pilate, how did Christ receive 

their words ? 

"Then said Pilate unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness 
against thee ? And he answej^ed him to never a word ; insomuch that the gov- 
ernor marveled greatly." Matt. 27 : 13, 14. 

18. How did the prophecy state that Christ's murderers would dispose 

of his garments ? 

"They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture." Ps. 
22 ; 18. 

19. Was this literally accomplished? 

"And they crucified him, 2.xv^ parted his garments, casting lots : that it might be 
fulfilled which was spokdn by the prophet, They parted my garments among 
them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots." Matt. 27 : 35. 

20. How was it said they would treat him while on the cross ? 

" They gave me also gall for my meat ; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to 
drink." Ps. 69 : 21. 

21. What was offered him, when in his dying agony ? 

"They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted 
thereof, he would not drink." Matt. 27 : 34. 

22. Where was the grave of Christ to be made ? 

"And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death." Isa. 
53 : 9- 

23. What was actually done with his body, after it was taken down 

from the cross ? 
"A rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, . . . went to Pilate, and begged the 
body of Jesus. ... He wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his 
own new tomb which he had hewn out in the rock." Matt. 27 : 57-60. 




I ( i i 



J J J 






^be Just Recompense. 




HAT principle of justice should govern us in our intercourse 
with one another ? 

"Withhold not good from them to 7aho!H it is due, when it is in the 
power of thine hand to do it." Prov. 3 : 27. 

'2. What general rule of recompense is given in the Scriptures ? 

" Judge not, that ye be not judged, for with wliat judgment ye judge, ye shall 
be judged, and wit]i -what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you 
again." Matt. 7:1,2.- 

3. Should one, in any case, render evil for evil ? 

"Recompense to no man evil for evil." Rom. 12 : 17. "Not rendering evil for 
evil, or railing for railing, but contrariwise, blessing.'''' I Peter 3 : 9. 

4. What is said of those who render evil for good? 

" Whoso rewardeth evil for good, evil shall not depart from Ids house.'"'' Prov. 
17: 13- 

5. Will all men be rewarded irrespective of character ? 

" Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth : much more the wicked 
and the sinner." Prov. il : 31. 

6. Will each man's work be fully brought to light and tested ? 

^'- Every i?ian'' s zuork shall be made manifest ; for the day shall declare it, because 
it shall be revealed by fire : and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort 
it is.'''' I Cor. 3 : 13. 

7. Will partiality be shown in decisions rendered ? 

" Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right ? " Gen. 18 : 25. " Justice and 
judgment are the habitation of thy throne ; mercy and truth shall go before 
thy face." Ps. 89 : 14. " Who will render to every man according to his 
deeds ; " "for there is 710 respect of persons with God." Rom. 2:6, li. 

[536] 



■\HL ^V^S^ ^LCO\A?^V\S^. 537 

8. May we not in reality decide for ourselves what our recompense 

shall be ? 

^'•'^&Q.^\\v2CsrQ set before thee this day Y\i.^ and good, and death and evil." Deut. 
30 : 15. "Thus saith the Lord : Behold, I set before you the way of life, and 
the zvay of death.'''' Jer. 21 : 8. 

9. Will the cases of any be overlooked in the judgment ? 

" For we must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that eveiy one may 
receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether 
it be good or bad." 2 Cor. 5 : 10. 

10. What shall determine the nature of the reward in each case ? 

"Be not deceived : God is not mocked ; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall 
he also reap.'''' Gal. 6 : 7. 

11. Define the harvest of the wrong-doer. 

" For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption." Gal. 6 : 8, 
first part. " Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil." 
Rom. 2 : 9. 

12. What shall be the recompense of the righteous ? 

"But he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.'''' Gal, 
6 : 8, last part. "But glory, honor, and peace to every man that worketh 
good." Rom. 2 : 10. 

13. What scripture brings to view the cases of all as decided forever, 

and the time when it is accomplished ? 

" He that is unjust, let him be unjust still ; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy 
still ; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still ; and he that is holy, 
let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly.'" Rev. 22 : il, 12. 

14. Then with what force is the subject under consideration brought 

home to each heart ? 
" For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and dis- 
obedience received a just recompense of reward, how shall we escape if we 
neglect so great salvation ? " Heb. 2 : 2, 3. 





Gxaltation. 



HO is exalted above all that exists ? 

" For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth ; thou art exalted far above 
all gods." Ps. 97 : 9. "Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens : 
let thy glory be above all the earth.". Ps. 57 : 5. 

Why should God be thus exalted ? 

Thou, even thou, art Lord alone ; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, 
with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all 
that is therein, and thou preservest them all ; and the host of heaven worship- 
eth thee." Neh. 9 : 6. 

How high is Christ exalted ? 

The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour.^'' 
Acts 5 : 30, 31. 

Who will be exalted by God ? 

He that shall humble himself shall be exalted." Matt. 23 : 12. 

What, then, must precede exaltation ? 

Before honor is humility." Prov. 15 : 33. 

What is the foundation of true humility ? 

Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up." I Cor. 13 : 4. 
[538] 



L)^NUK"\\OH. 539 



7. What is necessary, therefore, in order to obtain merited exalta- 

tion? 

" Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest 
in the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 18 : 4. 

8. In what only should we desire to be exalted ? 

" For thou [Lord] art the glory of their strength : and in thy favor our horn shall 
be exalted.''' Ps. 89 : 17. 

9. What means does God sometimes employ to keep us from self- 

exaltation ? 

" And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revela- 
tions, there was given to me a thorn i?t the flesh., the messenger of Satan to 
buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure." 2 Cor. 12:7. 

10. By what means may self-exaltation be overcome? 

"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the 
pulling down of strongholds ; casting down imaginations, and every high 
thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into cap- 
tivity eveiy thought to the obedience of Christ.'''' 2 Cor. 10 : 4, 5. 

11. What are these weapons of our warfare ? 

The girdle of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the sandals of peace, the 
shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the spirit. Eph. 6 : 
13-17- 

12. What caused Satan's fall, and brought into existence all the sin 

and evil which are in the world ? 

" How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning ! how art thou 
cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations ! For thou hast said 
in thine heart, / will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars 
of God : I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the 
north : I will ascend above the hights of the clouds ; I will be like the Most 
High." Isa. 14 : 12-14. 

13. What is the most striking example of self-exaltation found in the 

annals of history ? 
" Let no man deceive you by any means ; for that day shall not come, except there 
come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdi- 
tion ; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is 
worshiped ; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself 
that he is God." 2 Thess. 2 : 3, 4. 
Note. — Satan exalted himself above the stars of God, i. e., the angels, and 
wanted to be equal with Christ ; but the " man of sin," the papacy, has gone 
beyond this, and exalted himself even above the God of the universe by pre- 
suming to change his eternal and immutable law. Dan. 7 : 25. See reading, 
"The Change of the Sabbath," on p. 60. 



5io Lx^u^l\OH 



14. What will be the end of self-exaltation? 

" Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased," Matt. 23 : 12. "For the day 
of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upop 
every one that is lifted up ; and he shall be brought low." Isa. 2 : 12. 

15. When will the humble be exalted ? 

"Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land • 
when ilie lairked art' cut off", tJioii shall see ?V. " Ps. 37 : 34. 



i^ADE, fade, each earthly joy ; 
I Jesus is mine; 
Break, every tender tie ; 

Jesus is mine. 
Dark is the wilderness ; 
Earth hath no resting-place ; 
Jesus alone can bless ; 
Jesus is mine. 

Tempt not my soul away ; 

Jesus is mine ; 
Here would I ever stay : 

Jesus is mine. 
Perishing things of clay. 
Born but for one brief day, 
Pass from my heart away ; 

Jesus is mine. 

Farewell, ye dreams of night ; . 

Jesus is mine ; 
Lost in this dawning bright, 

Jesus is mine. 
All that my soul has tried 
Left but a dismal void ; 
Jesus has satisfied ; 

Jesus is mine. 

Farewell, mortality ; 

Jesus is mine ; 
Hail ! immortality ; 

Jesus is mine. 
Welcome, O loved and blest ! 
Welcome, sweet scenes of rest ; 
Welcome, my Saviour's breast ; 

Jesus is mine ! 




Submission. 

^O whom do we owe unqualified submission ? 
' Submit yourselves therefore to God." James 4 : 7. 

2. Why are we under obligation to submit to God? 
Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, ... I have made 
the earth, and created man upon it. . . . There is no God else beside me ; a 
just God and a Saviour ; there is none beside me. Look unto me, and be ye 
saved, all the ends of the earth ; for I am God, and there is none else." Isa. 
45 : 11-22. 

What constitutes submission to God ? 
■ Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the 

knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience 

of Christ." 2 Cor. 10 : 5. 
What w411 be the condition of one who is thus submissive to God ? 

He will be "///ed with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual 
understanding." Col. 1:9. 

What is the will of God ? 

' For this is the will of God, even your sanctification:' I Thess. 4:3. " Foras- 
much then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise 
7vith the same mind; for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from 
sin ; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts 
of men, but to the will of God." i Peter 4:1,2. 

[541] 




[542] "We Will not * * Worship the Golden Image 

which Thou Hast Set Up." 



S\)'e>>J\\SS\OU. 543 



6. What is fulfilled in us when we live not in the flesh ? 

"That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the 
flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8 : 4. 

7. Then what is the course of one who is submissive to God ? 

He walks after the Spirit, i. e., brings forth the "fruit of the Spirit " (Gal. 5 : 
22-24), or in other words, fulfills "the righteousness of the law," which con- 
stitutes the will of God. i Peter 4 : 2. 

8. What should we bring into subjection to God ? 

"But I keep under my body <s.x\^di bring it into subjection." i Cor. 9:27. "1 
beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your 
bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable 
service." Rom. 12:1. " Bringing into captivity ^z/,?ry ^/^<92<^'//^ to the obedi- 
ence of Christ." 2 Cor. 10:5. "Glorify God in your body, and in your 
spirit, which are God's." i Cor. 6 : 20. 

9. Which member of the body requires the greatest exertion, together 

with the grace of God, to bring into subjection ? 

" The tongue can no man tame ; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." "If 
any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle 
the whole body." James 3:8, 2. 

10. What is the prayer of one who is submissive to God? 

" Thy will be done." Matt. 6 : 10. 

[I. How was submission exemplified in the life of Christ? 

" He [Jesus] humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of 
the cross." Phil. 2:8. "He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he 
opened not his mouth ; he was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 
sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." Isa. 53 : 7. 
Read Matt. 27 : 26-50, which gives an account of the trial of Jesus before 
Pilate, and his crucifixion. 

12. To what other authority must we be submissive? 

"I beseech you, brethren (ye know the house of Stephanus, that it is the first-fruits 
of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the 
saints), . . . that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that help- 
eth with us, and laboreth." I Cor. 16 : 15, 16. " Obey them that have the 
rule over you." Heb. 13 : 17. 
Note. — That Heb. 13 : 17 has reference to church authorities, is seen from verse 
7, and from what follows in verse 17. 

13. Why is it well for us to be submissive to church authorities? 

" For they zoatch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do 
it with joy, and not with grief." Heb. 13 : 17. 

14. What is said about submission to worldly powers and authorities ? 
" Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates." 

Titus 3 : I. 



544 ^\^LL WLI\^\UCxS. 



15. Why are we required to do this ? 

" Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of 
God : the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth 
the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." Rom. 13 : i, 2. " Submit your- 
selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, . . . for so is the will 
of God." I Peter 2 : 13-15. 

16. Does Peter mean that we should submit to the ordinances of men, 

even when these are contrary to the express command of God ? 

Let Peter himself answer. " We ought to obey God rather than men.'''' Acts 
5 : 29. "Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more 
than unto God, judge ye." Acts 4 : 19. 

17. What noted example have we of obedience or submission to God 

rather than man? 
The three worthies in the fiery furnace. Read the third chapter of Daniel. 

18. Then what is really meant by being subject to worldly rulers and 

ordinances of men ? 

" Render therefore to all their dues ; tribute to whom tribute is due ; custom to 
whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor." Rom. 13 -.']. 
"Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king." 
I Peter 2 : 17. 
Note. — The just dues of a ruler cannot be contrary to rectitude, and as such 
should be respected, and rendered to him by his subjects. "Although bad 
kings often oppress the good, yet that is scarcely ever done hy public atcthoj'ity 
(and it is of what is done by public authority that Peter speaks), save under 
the mask of right." — Horneius, quoted in Jamieson, Fausset, and Brozvn's 
Commentary, under i Peter 2 : 14. " If we be required by human authority 
to sin against God, we must steadfastly refuse obedience, and cheerfully and 
meekly endure the consequence, well satisfied with the blessings insured by 
the promise of God to those who ' suffer for righteousness' sake.' (Notes, Matt. 
5 : 10-12 ; Acts 4 : 13-22 ; 5 : 29-31 ; i Peter 3 : 13-16 ; 4: 12-16)." — Scott, 
on Rom. Jj ' SS' " Authorities and powers " are themselves subject to God 
(I Peter 3 : 22), and hence have no right to require anything that is contrary 
to the universal laws of him who is supreme King over all. 

19. How do we stand related to one another with regard to sub- 

mission ? 

" Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you, be sub- 
ject one to another, and be clothed with humility." I Peter 5:5. 

20. What seems to be the reason for this requirement ? 

Submission cultivates humility, a Christian virtue of high value. It is the hvmible 
to whom God " giveth grace," and whom he will in due time exalt. Verses 
5,6. 

21. What should be the attitude of a wife to her husband ? 

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands." Col. 3 : 18. 



S\3^>A\SS\0H. 545 



22. What is this submission? 

"To be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, 
keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands." Titus 2:4, 5. 

23. Does this submission permit domination on the part of the 

husband ? 

"Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them." Col. 3:19. 
"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church." Eph. 
5:25. 

24. How far should a wife submit to her husband ? 

"Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord.''' 
Col. 3 : 18. 

25. In what should children be submissive to parents ? 

"Children, obey your parents in all things ; for this is well pleasing unto the 
Lord." Col. 3 : 20. 

26. What is said about the submission of servants to masters ? 

"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh ; not with eye- 
service, as men-pleasers ; but in singleness of heart, fearing God." Col. 3 : 22. 



^F, through unruffled seas, 
J^ Calmly toward heaven we sail, 
"^With grateful hearts, O God, to thee. 
We'll own the favoring gale. 

But should the surges rise. 

And rest delay to come. 
Blest be the sorrow, kind the storm. 

Which drives us nearer home. 

Soon shall our doubts and fears 

All yield to thy control ; 
Thy tender mercies shall illume 

The midnight of the soul. 

Teach us in every state. 
To make thy will our own, 

And when the joys of sense depart. 
To live by faith alone. 



35 




gope, 




O what is the Christian's hope likened ? 

" That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to 
lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold 
upon the hope set before us : which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, 
both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the vail." 
Heb. 6 : i8, 19. 

What is the Christian's hope called ? 

Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and 
our Saviour Jesus Christ." Titus 2 : 13, 

At what time did Paul expect to realize this hope ? 

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the 
righteous Judge, shall give me at that day ; and not to me only, but unto all 
them also that love his appearing.'''' 2 Tim. 4 : 8. 

What is said of the hope of the wicked ? 

So are the paths of all that forget God ; and the hypocrite's hope shall pe7'ish : 
whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be as a spider's web." Job 
8 : 13, 14. 

What will be accomplished by him who hath the Christian's 
hope? 

And every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure." 
I John 3 : 3. 
[546] 



6. How is he accounted whose hope is in God ? 

''Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the 
Lord his God." Ps. 146 : 5. "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, 
and whose hope the Lord is." Jer. 17 : 7. 

7. In what may the child of God abound ? 

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may 
abound 171 hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." Rom. 15 : 13. 

8. In what may he rejoice ? 

"By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and 
rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Rom. 5 : 2. 

9. When the love of God fills the heart, what is the result ? 

"■ Knd]iOY)& makeih not asha77ied ; because the love of God is shed abroad in our 
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us." Rom. 5:5. 

10. In the time of trouble, who will be the hope of the righteous ? 

"The Lord also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem ; and 
the heavens and the earth shall shake : but the Lord will be the hope of his 
people, and the strength of the children of Israel." Joel 3 ; 16. 

11. What inspiring words are spoken to such as hope in God? 

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the 
Lord." Ps. 31 : 24. 

12. What has the resurrection of Jesus Christ wrought for us ? 

" Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his 
abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection 
of Jesus Christ from the dead." I Peter i : 3. 

13. How long should the Christian's hope endure ? 

" And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full as- 
surance of hope unto the end.'''' Heb. 6 : 11. 

14. What end is referred to ? 

" Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the 
grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." 
I Peter i : 13. 





Patience. 



'OR what were the precious promises of the word written ? 

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime, -ivere written for our 
learning, that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have 
hope." Rom. 15:4. 

2. What is the Father himself called ? 

"The God oi patience and consolation.'''' Rom. 15 : 5. 

3. What spirit should the Christian manifest? 

" Be /«'//<?«/ toward all men." i Thess. 5 : 14. "With all lowliness and meek- 
ness, with long-suffering, forbearing one another in love." Eph. 4 : 2. 

4. What contrast is drawn between the patient and the hasty spirit ? 

" He that is slow to wrath is oi great under s t andirig ; but he that is hasty of spirit 
exalteth folly.'''' Prov. 14 : 29. 

5. Mention an example of patience. 

"Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for 
an example of suffering affliction, and of patience." James 5 : 10. 
[548] 



VK^\LHC^. 549 



6. P'or what glorious event are the children of God bidden patiently 

to wait ? 

"And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patient wait- 
'\\\^ for Christ.'''' 2 Thess. 3 : 5. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the 
coining of the Lord. Be ye also patient, stablish your hearts ; for the coming 
of the Lord draweth nigh." James 5 : 7, 8. 

7. What good things are spoken of those who endure ? 

"Behold, we count therii happy who endure." James 5 : 11. '■'■ Blessed is the 
man that endureth temptation." James l : 12. "He that endureth to the 
end, shall he saved.'''' Matt. 10 : 22. 

8. Then how much depends on the exercise of this virtue ? 

" In your \:)a.tience possess ye your souls.'" Luke 21 : 19. 

9. What work of grace may be wrought for us when patience has its 

desired eifect ? 

"But let patience have her perfect work, that/^ may he perfect aiid entire, loant- 
ing nothing.'''' James i : 4. 

10. What should be the language of every heart ? 

" I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope." Ps. 130 : 5. 



HE home where changes never come, 
Nor pain nor sorrow, toil nor care ; 

Yes, 't is a bright and blessed home ; 
Who would not fain be resting there ? 

Yet when bowed down beneath the load 
By Heaven allowed, thine earthly lot ; 

Thou yearnst to reach that blest abode. 
Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not. 

If in thy path some thorns are found, 
O, think who bore them on his brow ; 

If grief thy sorrowing heart has found. 
It reached a holier than thou. 

Toil on, nor deem, though sore it be, 
One sigh unheard, one prayer forgot ; 

The day of rest will dawn for thee ! 
Wait, meekly wait, and murmur not. 




HAT is the meaning of the word hospitality ? 

.eception and entertainment of strangers or guests 
ward, or with kind and generous liberality." — Webster 



lOut re- 



6. 



2. What, then, are the characteristics of true hospitality ? 
^ Kindness, generosity, and love, or charity. 

' 3. As genuine hospitality must flow from love for our fellow- 
beings, what is fulfilled by its exercise ? 

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.''^ 
Rom. 13 : 10. See also Gal. 5 : 13, 14. 

What law is here referred to ? 

For this. Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not 
steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet ; and if there 
be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely. 
Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Rom. 13 : 9. 

Is hospitality enjoined as a duty ? 

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers." Heb. 13 : 2. " Use hospitality one to an- 
other. ' ' I Peter 4:9. " The stranger that d welleth with you shall be unto you 
as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself." Lev. 19 : 34. 

Why ought we thus to exercise charity, or hospitality, to strangers ? 

For the Lord your God is God of gods, . . . and loveth the stranger, in giving 
him food and raiment. Love ye therefore the stranger. " Deut. 10:17-19. 

Prove that it enters into the foundation of Christian character. 
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this. To visit the father- 
less and widows in their affliction." James l : 27. 

Who are under obligation to exercise hospitality ? 

I beseech you therefore, brethren, ... be kindly affectioned one to another 
with brotherly love, . . . distributing to the necessity of saints ; given to 
hospitality." Rom. 12:1, 10, 13. 

[550] 



Let not a widow be taken into 



WOS?ni\U"\x. 551 



the number under three-score years old, having been the wife of one 
man, well reported of for good works \ ... if she have lodged strangers, 
... if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every 
good work." I Tim. 5 : 9, 10. "Fear God and keep his commandments, for 
this is the whole duty of man." Eccl. 12 : 13, 
Note, — As we have before proved that the exercise of genuine hospitality is a 
fulfilling of God's law, Eccl. 12 : 13 proves its obligation universal. 

9. But are not those who are called to be ministers of the gospel ex- 
empt from this obligation ? 
" A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of 
good behavior, given to hospitality." I Tim. 3 : 2. " A bishop must be . . . 
a lover of hospitality." Titus I : 7, 8. 

10. Upon whom should hospitality be bestowed? 

. '^\Jse hospitality one to another.''^ i Peter 4 : 9. *'As we have therefore oppor- 
tunity, let us do good unto all 7nen, especially unto them who are of the house- 
hold of faith." Gal. 6 : 10. 

11. Should hospitality be exercised to those who are our enemies? 
"If thine enemy hunger, feed him ; if he thirst, give him drink." Rom. 12 : 20. 

12. What is said of those who make a distinction between rich and poor? 
"My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, 

with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with 
a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile rai- 
ment, and ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto 
him. Sit thou here in a good place ; and say to the poor. Stand thou there, or 
sit here under my footstool ; are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are be- 
come judges of evil thoughts ? " '■'■ If ye have respect to persons, ye commit 
sin.^'' James 2 : 1-4, 9. 

13. In what spirit should hospitality be exercised? 

"Use hospitality one to another without grudging.'''' I Peter 4 : 9. "Beloved, 
thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to stran- 
gers." 3 John 5. " And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor . . . 
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." I Cor. 13 : 3. 

14. Whom do we honor when we exercise hospitality ? 

"And the A^m^ shall answer and say unto them, . . . Inasmuch as ye have done 
it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." 
Matt. 25 : 40. 

15. What was the Saviour speaking about on this occasion? 

" For I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat ; I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink ; 

I was a stranger, and ye took me m / naked, and ye clothed me ; I was sick, 
and ye visited me ; I was in prison, and ye came unto me." Verses 35, 36. 

16. What effect has hospitality on those who exercise it ? 

" It is more blessed to give than to receive.'' Acts 20 : 35. The liberal soul shall 
be made fat; and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." Prov. 

II : 25. " He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed ; for he giveth of his 
bread to the poor." Prov. 22 : 9. 



\AOS?\'\KVnx. 553 



17. What is the effect of hospitality shown to an enemy? 

" In so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head." Rom. 12 : 20. 

18. Is there any reward promised to those who show hospitahty ? 

" He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's 
reward ; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man, 
shall receive a righteous man's reward. And whosoever shall give to drink 
unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, 
verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.'''' Matt. 10 : 
41, 42. 

19. Will a person lose anything in this life by being hospitable? 

" He that giveth tinto the poor shall not lack."" Prov. 28 : 27. " He that hath 
pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord ; and that which he hath given will 
he pay him again." Prov. 19 : 17. "Give, and it shall be given unto you ; 
good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men 
give into your bosom." Luke 6 : 38. 

20. What will be the final reward for hospitality ? 

"Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the 
foundation of the world : for I was a hungered, and ye gave me meat ; I was 
thirsty, and ye gave me drink ; I was a stranger, and ye took me in." Matt. 
25 : 34, 35- 

21. Name some Bible characters who are especially noted for hospi- 

tality. 

Abraham (Gen. 18 : 1-8) ; Lot (Gen. 19 : 1-3) ; Reuel, the father-in-law of Mo- 
ses (Ex. 2 : 20) ; the poor widow of Zarephath (i Kings 17 : 8-16) ; Job (Job 
31 : 32) ; the two disciples in Emmaus (Luke 24 : 28, 29) ; Publius (Acts 28 : 
7, 10). 

Note. — The following, by a modern traveler, De la Roque, serves to illustrate 
very strikingly many passages of Scripture: "We did not arrive at the 
foot of the mountain till after sunset, and it was almost night when we entered 
the plain ; but as it was full of villages, mostly inhabited by Maronites, we 
entered into the first we came to, to pass the night there. It was the priest of 
the place who wished to receive us ; he gave us a supper under the trees be- 
fore his little dwelling. As we were at table, there came by a stranger, wearing 
a white turban, who, after having saluted the company, sat himself down to 
the table without ceremony, ate with us during some time, and then went away, 
repeating several times the name of God. They told us it was some traveler 
who no doubt stood in need of refreshment, and who had profited by the op- 
portunity, according to the custom of the East, which is to exercise hospitality 
at all times and toward all persons." — Dictionary of the Bible, published by 
t?,,e American Tract Society, art. Hospitality. Primitive Christians were so 
ready in discharging this duty, that the very heathen admired them for it. 
They were hospitable to all strangers, but especially to those of the household 
of faith. 



Qiligence. 




HAT good things are spoken of the faithful and energetic ? 

"He that tilleth his land shall have plenty of bread.'''' Prov. 28 : 19. 
"The hand of the diligent ?fiaketh rich.'''' Prov. 10:4. "The soul of the 
diligent shall be made fat.'''' Prov. 13 :4. 

2. What is said of the man of opposite characteristics? 

" He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand." Prov. 10 : \. "The soul of 
the sluggard desireth and hath nothing.'''' Prov. 13 : 4. 

3. What social distinction is shown between the diligent man and 

the slothful one? 

" The hand of the diligent shall bear rule, but the slothful shall be under tribute.^'' 
Prov. 12 : 24. 

4. What honor awaits the diligent man of business ? 

" Seest thou a man diligent in his business ? He shall stand before kings ; he shall 
not stand before mean men." Prov. 22 : 29. 

5. Give an example of the reward of industry. 

"And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor ; and Solomon seeing the 
young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of 
the house of Joseph.*' i Kings 11 : 28. Read also the three verses following. 

6. May we estimate a man's thrift by the condition of his dwelling ? 

" By much slothfulness the building decayeth ; and through idleness of the hands 
the house droppeth through.'''' Eccl. 10 : 18. 

7. Give a picture of a slack man's farm, as drawn by an eye-witness. 

"I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of 
understanding ; and lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had 
covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down." 
Prov. 24 :30, 31. 

8. What lesson did the wise man learn as he noticed these things ? 

"Then I saw and considered it well : I looked upon it, and received instruction^'' 
Prov. 24 : 32. 

[554] 



\)\UG^HC^ 555 



9. Is our work for " the life that now is," closely united with that for 
the one to come? 
" Not slothful in business ; fervent in spirit ; serving the Lord." Rom. 12 : 11. 

10. What sentence is pronounced against the man who is unfaithful 

in God's work ? 

" Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully [margin, 7iegligently'\.'''' 
Jer. 48 : 10. 

11. In view of the reward to be given at Christ's appearing, what 

exhortation is given? 

"Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may 
be found of him in peace, without spot and blameless." 2 Peter 3 : 14. 

12. What blessed assurance is given such as follow this advice? 

"Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election 
sure : for if ye do these things ye shall never fall ; for so an entrance shall 
be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ." 2 Peter i : 10, 11. 



'ORK, for the night is coming, 

Work through the morning hours ; 
Work while the dew is sparkling. 

Work 'mid springing flowers, 
Work when the day grows brighter, 

Work in the glowing sun ; 
Work, for the night is coming. 

When man's work is done. 

Work, for the night is coming. 

Work through the sunny noon ; 
Fill brightest hours with labor ; 

Rest comes sure and soon. 
Give every flying minute 

Something to keep in store ; 
Work, for the night is coming, 

When man works no more. 

Work, for the night is coming 

Under the sunset skies ; 
While their bright tints are glowing. 

Work, for daylight flies. 
Work till the last beam fadeth, — 

Fadeth to shine no more ; 
Work while the night is darkening, 

When man's work is o'er. 




[556] 



THE FORMATION OF EVE. 





The TVlcii^i^icige Institution. 

ORIGIN. 

HAT was one of the first institutions founded for the benefit 
of the human race ? 

"And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a luoman, 
and brought her tmto the man.'''' Gen. 2 : 22. Marriage, Hke the Sabbath, 
is of divine origin, and was instituted in Eden. 

OBJECTS. 

Why did God establish the marriage institution ? 

(i.) *' So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him ; 
male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said 
unto them. Be fruit/til, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it " 
(Gen. I : 27, 28) ; for "he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited.'''' 
Isa. 45 : 18. 

(2.) " And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone ; I will 
make him a help [suitable, or] meet for him." Gen. 2 : 18. Man needs 
the refinement which comes from association with true womanhood, as well 
as assistance in the temporal affairs of life. To populate the earth, and also 
to render man happy, were therefore the objects of the Creator, in bringing 
into existence the marriage institution. 

PLAN. 

To accomplish this two-fold purpose, how many companions did 

God in the beginning ordain that man should have ? 
' Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his 
wife [not wives], and they [duality] shall be one flesh." Gen. 2 : 24. 
"They two shall be one flesh." Eph. 5 : 31. "The [one] rib, which the 
Lord God had taken from man, made he a [one] woman, and brought her 
unto the [one] man." Gen. 2 : 22. 

Note. — Thus far, probably, all are agreed as to the action of the Creator ; but 
because of a different course on the part of some of his creatures, the wisdom 
of his first decision (one woman for one man), and consequently the stability 
of his character, are thus confidently denied in a contemptible publication of 
polygamous origin : — [ 557 ] 



568 B\^V.L H^F\\i\HG.S. 



"The traditions and prejudices of centuries, the man-made creeds of the 
day, and the laws of all the nations professing a belief in Christ, unitedly in- 
culcate the idea that it is sinful for a man, under any circumstances, to 
have more than one living and undivorced wife at the same time. A careful 
perusal of the Scriptures will, however, reveal the fact that this practice, which 
is now considered so heinous, is in accordance with the divine law given to the 
ancient Israelites, that it was engaged in with the sanction and blessing of 
God by many of the best and most favored men of whom the Bible makes men- 
tion, and that never has the principle received the divine condemnation.'''' 

These hard-hewn, smooth-faced assertions from the quarry of lust compose 
the foundation on which is reared the iniquitous structure of polygamy, from 
whose barred and darkened windows peer thousands of pale and jealous faces. 
Omitting the italics, and reading "few" instead of "many," the paragraph 
quoted tells the exact truth ; for few "of the best and most favored men of 
whom the Bible makes mention " were polygamists ; but whether or not their 
goodness was due to polygamy in any way, or the blessings they received were 
bestowed because they were polygamists, should be considered. If the state- 
ments in italics are true, then God has changed his original plan. If they are 
false, "a careful perusal of the Scriptures will . . . reveal the fact that 
[although] this practice . . . was engaged in by many [few] of the best and 
most favored men of whom the Bible makes mention," yet the Lord is "the 
same yesterday, and to-day, and forever," as far as his purposes are concerned ; 
but "long-suffering and plenteous in mercy" toward those who fail to carry 
out his designs. 

COUNTERFEIT. 

With wliom did polygamy originate ? 

The first recorded case is that of Lamech, who " took unto him two wives. . . . 
And Lamech said unto his wives, ... I have slain a man." Tracing 
Lamech's ancestors back six generations, to Cain, of him it is recorded that 
he "rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." To this class of men, 
with whom polygamy originated, this scripture applies relative to their parent- 
age : "Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. 
He was a murderer ixora the beginning, and abode not in the truth" (John 
8 : 44), and being determined that his corrupt followers should outnumber the 
children of God, he incited this murderous and incestuous Lamech to take 
" unto him two wives." Let it be forever remembered that in the beginning 
the Creator gave ONE wife, and the Devil gave two. Whether it was the 
Lord who subsequently adopted Satan's plan, or only certain men who, 
although chosen of God, were afterward deceived or drawn away of their own 
lust, and enticed, is so important a question that to decide in favor of the 
former without scriptural authority, thus attributing the work of Satan to the 
unchangeable God, is but to unite with that already large family referred to, 
whose sire is not only a murderer, but " a liar, and the father of it." 

What effect did the polygamous example of Lamech's descendants 

have on the children of God ? 
• And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and 

daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of 

men, that they were fair ; and they took them zvives of all which they chose.'''' 

Gen. 6 2 I, 2. 



1V\^ UNRH\NG.L \HSinV^l\OH. 559 

6. Does this reference to wife-plurality among those who were called 

"the sons of God," prove that the Lord had adopted Satan's 
plan ? 

" And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, zV 7aas corrupt ; for all flesh had cor- 
rupted his [God's] way upon the earth." Gen. 6 : I2. As already proved, 
God's "way " concerning marriage was that a man should have but one wife. 
His way "corrupted " brought a plurality of wives and other excesses, until 
because of the prevalence of licentiousness, strife, and murder, " God said unto 
Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me ; for the earth is filled with 
violence throvigh. them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." 
Gen. 6 : 13. This is the culmination of the first era of contest between the 
original and the counterfeit. 

FIRST RE-ENACTMENT OF ORIGINAL PLAN. 

7. What was Noah's character? and considering the emergency, 

how many wives did he and his sons take with them into the 
ark? 

** Noah was 2, just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God." 
Gen. 6 : 9. "In the selfsame day entered Noah, and Shem, and Ham, and 
Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah' s wife, and the three wives of his sons 
with them into the ark," Gen. 7 : 13. 

8. Who knows but what they had other wives not good enough to be 

permitted to enter the ark ? 

"And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for 
thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation. ' ' Gen. 7:1. Seven 
persons besides Noah (2 Peter 2:5; Gen. 8:18) went into and came out of 
the ark. This was the second time that God started to populate the earth on 
the one-wife plan, not a single advocate of polygamy being left alive, except 
the Devil and his angels. If, when the earth was so destitute of inhabitants 
as in the beginning and at the time of the flood, God decided that one woman 
for one man was all-sufficient for the propagation and happiness of the race, 
then it is certain that each generation thereafter diminished the excuse for 
wife-plurality which might have been offered at creation and when the ante- 
diluvians were destroyed, if ever. And if man's need of society be referred 
to, it was never so urgent as when Adam's animated rib was his sole com- 
panion, and when the storm-tossed ark rested on the hights of Ararat. 

SECOND RE-ENACTMENT OF ORIGINAL PLAN. 

9. After the flood, when Satan, in trying to overthrow God's plan, 

had again led men into idolatry and polygamy, why did the 
Lord choose as the progenitor of a spiritual race, a man who had 
but one wife ? 
"Wherefore one? That he might seek a godly seed.'' Mai. 2 : 15. " Abram 
took Sarai his wife, . . . and they [man and wife] went forth to go into the 
land of Canaan, and into the land of Canaan they came." Gen. 12:5. 




[56o] 



THE DEPARTURE OF HAGAR. 



THL ^KRR\KG.L \HS^\"\\il\OH. 561 

ATTEMPTED COUNTERFEIT. 

10. When, through lack of faith, it seemed that God's promise of a son 

could not be fulfilled because of Sarai's age, what prevalent evil 
custom of that day did she induce Abram to adopt, hoping 
thereby to secure the promised heir ? 

"And Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, after Abram had 
dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram 
to be his wife.'''' Gen. i6 : 3. 

11. Did this shameful proceeding make Hagar the wife of Abram ? 

Sarai soon after realized the folly of her act in thus trying to change God^s endur- 
ing plan, and never again alluded to Hagar as the wife of Abram, but called 
her "my maid," and "this bondwoman" (not second wife). Abram never 
regarded Hagar as his wife, but when speaking to Sarai, said "thy maid" 
(not my wife). Hagar did not consider herself the wife of Abram, but only the 
maid of " my mistress, Sarai." The angel of the Lord called Hagar " Sarai's 
maid," and said unto her, "Return unto thy mistress" (not. Return unto thy 
husband). And the Lord himself by inspiration declares her to have been 
only " Hagar the Egyptian," and Abram's " bondwoman " (not second wife). 
His second wife was Keturah, married after the death of Sarai. Gen. 23 : 
I, 2 ; 25 : I. The foregoing quotations from Scripture prove that, instead of 
being a polygamist, Abram violated the seventh commandment. Although the 
Bible states that " he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief,''^ 
it is equally true that he staggered from the path of virtue at the instigation 
of his wife. But he was not a polygamist. 

12. What is the very next recorded experience of Abram's which 

shows that he was not perfect, like Enoch and Noah ? 

"And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, 
and said unto him, I am the Almighty God ; walk before me, and be thou per- 
fect:'' Gen. 17 : I. 

13. Did he follow the example of Cain, the progenitor of murderers 

and polygamists, and try to justify or excuse himself? 

" And Abram fell on his face." Verse 3. Abram was blessed because of his hu- 
mility and his desire to please God, not because he at times sinned against him. 
On this occasion God changed his name to Abraham, and the record of his 
subsequent life shows that he was also a changed man. 

14. When Ishmael was about sixteen years old, and Sarah requested 

Abraham to " cast out this bondwoman and her son " (Gen. 21 : 
10), what instruction did the Lord give which shows that he 
had not changed his original plan, — one wife for one man ? 
" In all that Sarah hath said unto thee, hearken unto her voice ; for in Isaac shall 
thy seed be called," " And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and look 
bread, and a bottle of water, and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her 
shoulder, and the child, and sent her away:' Gen. 21 : 12, 14. 

36 



562 ^\^\-^ ^^^^\HGS. 



15. Had Hagar really been the wife of Abraham during these sixteen 

years, would he ever have " sent her away " with the divine 
permission ? 
"What, therefore, God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Matt. 
19 :6. 

16. After Abraham had profited by his bitter experience (Gen. 21 : 11), 

what did God say of him ? and how was it in part fulfilled ? 

" For I know him that he zvill concmand his children and his household after him, 
and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment." Gen. 
18 : 19. " And Abraham said unto his eldest servant of his house, that ruled 
over all that he had, . . . Thou shalt go unto my country, and to my kin- 
dred, and TAKE A WIFE unto my son Isaac." Gen. 24 : 2-4. 

17. What was Isaac's last charge to Jacob, when the latter was about 

to leave home ? 
"Thou shalt not take a zvife of the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan- 
aram, to the house of Bethuel, thy mother's father ; and take thee a wifeixon\ 
thence of the daughters of Laban, thy mother's brother." Gen. 28:1, 2. 
He was not only enjoined to take one wife, but also to get the right kind of 
wife. See also 2 Cor. 6 : 14. 

THREE EXAMPLES OF THE COUNTERFEIT. 

18. But did not Jacob have two wives ? 

He did ; but whether he had two or forty does not affect the plain counsel given 
him by God through Isaac, in harmony with the original plan. There were 
two reasons why Jacob took a second wife : (i.) Laban practiced deception, 
giving Jacob the elder of the two sisters, Leah, for whom he had no love ; 
(2.) Rather than conform to God's order, and be content with Leah, suffering 
wrongfully a life-long separation from Rachel, selfishness caused him to take 
both of them. But selfishness and deception are not attributes of God, there- 
fore he neither directed the action nor became responsible for the result. 
And as one wrong step leads to another, so polygamy led to envy, jealousy, 
hatred, rivalry, and strife on the part of the sisters, as the result of which 
first one and then the other urged upon the too-willing Jacob still further 
departure from God's plan, until the record stares with dishonor and degrada- 
tion. But who believes that because of these things God blessed Jacob ? In- 
spiration does not say so. And who does not know that he was blessed 
because of his humiliation and repentance for sin, particularly during that long 
night when by the brook he " was left alone, and there wrestled a man with 
him until the morning"? The record says it was the Lord, and that "he 
blessed him there,'''' — while confessing his sins, not while committing them. 

19. Did Jacob enjoy his polygamous life ? 

" Few and ^z/?7have the days of the years of my life been." Gen. 47 : 9. 

20. Was David blessed of God because he was a polygamist? 

'■ Wherefore hast thou despised the commandfjient of the Lord, to do evil in his 
sight ? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his 
wife to be thy wife. . . . Now therefore the sword shall never depart from 



TV^^ VI\NRR\KG^^ \nS"\UV^^\OU. 563 



thine house ; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah 
the Hittite to he thy wife. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil 
against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine 
eyes, and give them unto thy neighbor." 2 Sam. 12 : 9-1 1. 
Note. — The Lord would /<?r;;2?V others to take David's wives the same as he 
permitted David to take the wives of Saul and the wife of Uriah, not that such 
actions were right ; for they are here called " evil," and contrary to the " com- 
mandment of the Lord." The passage in I Kings 15 : 5, which says that 
" David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside 
from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the 
matter of Uriah the Hittite," must not be so literally rendered as to show that 
it was right for David to number Israel, for which act the Lord caused seventy 
thousand of the people to perish. Yet this is proved by the text as much as that - 
it was right for David to take Saul's wives. In I Kings 14 : 8, the Lord said 
of David, "Who kept my commandments, and who followed me with all his 
heart, to do that only which was right in mine eyes ; " but that these texts 
apply to his life, generally speaking, and not to every act he committed, is evi- 
dent, otherwise the last quotation proves that it was also right for him to com- 
mit the greatest of all sins of which he was guilty, the murder of Uriah. 

21. Because of David's evil example, what occasion did the Lord say 

had been given polygamists and other evil-doers ? 

"Because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord 
to blaspheme.^'' 2 Sarri. 12 : 14. 

22. How, then, was David "a man after God's own heart," polygamy 

and murder being violations of '^ the commandment of the 
Lord " ? 

^^ I acknowledged 7ny sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will 
confess my transgressions unto the Lord ; and thou forgavest the iniquity of 
my sin.'''' Ps. 32 : 5. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit ; a broken 
and a contrite heart, O God, thou zvilt not despise.^'' Ps. 51 : I7- 
Note. — David, like Jacob, had an evil nature, and often wandered from the 
path of righteousness ; but like him, also, he repented of his sins, and re- 
ceived forgiveness. These were two of the " most favored men of whom the 
Bible makes mention," not because they were polygamists, but because he 
who is forgiven most is most favored. No more divine approval is to be found 
for their polygamy, however, than for Abraham's violation of the seventh 
commandment, Jacob's deception, or David's murder. If the example of a few 
men was designed to supplant the precept of God with reference to the mar- 
riage institution, then, by parity of reasoning, the deceiver, adulterer, and 
murderer now have free license. 

23. Was Solomon blessed because he was a polygamist ? 

''His wives turned azuay his heart after other gods." " And the Lord jvas angry 
zvith Solomon because his heart zvas turned from the Lord God of Lsrael, which 
had appeared unto him twice." "Wherefore the Lord said unto Solomon, 
Forasmuch as this is done of thee; and thou hast not kept my covenant and my 
statutes, which L have commanded thee, I will surely rend the kingdom from 
thee, and will give it to thy servant." i Kings 11 : 4, 9, n. 



564 ^\^^^ R^K\^\HGS. 



Note. — The lives of these three men, particularly those of Jacob and David, 
are monuments to both the weakness of humanity, and the strength of divine 
grace. While the Holy Spirit has made the dark and unchangeable record of 
their failure under temptation, there appears on the opposite side, in brighter 
lines, the history of their conflicts with evil, their earnest prayers for help, and 
their humility and deep repentance, which secured the favor of Heaven. 
For all this, grace is to receive the credit, though by reason of the prominence 
of the characters, sin is most noticeable at first sight. Hence, instead of 
investigating the subject, many have entertained the idea that wife-plurality 
among God's chosen people was a very common thing, and that this custom 
prevailed with '■'■many of the best and most favored men of whom the Bible 
makes mention." But this is not true. From Adam to the present time, 
thousands of cases are on record of conformity to God's plan regulating mar- 
riage, against these few instances of polygamy on the part of leaders among 
God's people. The plan of the Creator was not only understood in the begin- 
ning, but was re-affirmed at the deluge, the calling of Abraham, and of Moses, 
and in the parentage of Christ. The attempt on the part of some to make it 
appear that Moses was a polygamist, is not justified by the Scriptures ; for 
there is no evidence that Moses ever had any other wife than Zipporah. Either 
she is the one referred to in Num. 12 : i as being an " Ethiopian woman " by 
reason of her Midianite and Cushite ancestry [Ethiopian meaning Ciishite, see 
margin), or else Zipporah had died before this " Ethiopian woman " was taken 
by Moses. But they are doubtless the same person, as Moses would not be 
the first one to violate the command of God that the children of Israel should 
not intermarry with strangers (see Ex. 34 : 16), which instruction was given 
only about a year previous to the jealousy of Aaron and Miriam. 

NO DIVINE LICENSE FOR POLYGAMY. 

24. What are the principal texts used in attempting to justify polygamy 
by divine precept ? and what may be said of them ? 

(I.) " And if he have betrothed her unto his son, he shall deal with her after the 
manner of daughters. If he take him another wife, her food, her raiment, 
and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish." Ex. 21 : 9, 10. The word 
wife is not in the original, and should not be in this text, whose meaning, as 
seen from verse 9, is " another betrothed,''^ not " another wife.'''' Thus : "If 
he [the father] take him [take to his son] another wife [in betrothal], her 
food, her raiment [the food and raiment of the one first betrothed, but not 
married], and her duty of marriage, shall he not diminish." This means 
simply that the one first betrothed should be provided for in case she was set 
aside and another one married. But even if the word wife belonged in the 
text, it would merely be God's counsel with reference to how such sinners 
should be dealt with, as in Ex. 22 : I, — "If a man shall steal an ox or a 
sheep," etc. "If" does not mean "thou shalt," nor even "thou mayest." 

(2.) "If brethren dwell together, and one of them die, and have no child, the 
wife of the dead shall not marry without unto a stranger : her husband'' s 
brother %\\.'2^\ . . . take her to him t0 wife.''' Deut. 25:5. No further com- 
ment is necessary on this passage, than to say that in accordance with God's 
law concerning marriage, the " husband's brother " or kinsman here referred 



1V\L ^^RR\^GL \HSinVi^\OH. 565 

to must be a single man, as was the case with Boaz, who married Ruth ; for 
not a single instance is recorded where God ever counseled any man to take 
more than one wife, or gave a precept to that effect. 
(3.) " And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying. We will 
eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel ; only let us he called by thy 
name, to take away our reproach." Isa. 4:1. Whether this was fulfilled 
centuries ago, or appHes to the Mormons of to-day, does not prove that God 
now designs a man should have seven wives instead of one. There are proph- 
ecies of evil as well as of good ; and because the crimes of Absalom, Ahab, 
Judas, and the persecutions under paganism and the papacy were predicted, 
does not prove them divinely sanctioned. 

ORIGINAL PLAN SUSTAINED. 

25. What further testimony is given by prophets, Christ, and the apos- 

tles relative to the enduring nature of God's original plan ? 

" Neither shalt thou take a wife to her sister [one zvife to another, margin] , to vex her, 
. . . besides the other m /z^r /?y<?/z;;/£'." Lev. 18: 18, " Therefore take heed 
to your spirit, and let none deal treacherously against the zuife of his youth. 
For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away." Mai. 
2: 15. 

Christ said : " From the beginning of the creation God made them male and fe- 
male. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to 
his wife ; and they twain shall be one flesh : so then they are no more twain, 
but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put 
asunder.'''' Mark 10 : 6-9. " It hath been said. Whosoever shall put away 
his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement : but I say unto you, that 
whosoever shall put azuay his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, catts- 
eth her to commit adultery ; and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced 
committeth adultery.'''' Matt. 5:31, 32. 

Paul said : " Let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself ; 
and the wife see that she reverence lier hicsband.'''' Eph. 5 : 33. "A bishop 
then must be blameless, the husband of one wife.'''' " Let the deacons be the 
husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well." 
I Tim. 3:2, 12. Not that others in the church might take more than one 
wife, but that if such as had a plurality of wives were to receive the gospel 
and become members of the church, they should not be selected to fill these 
offices, for which "blameless" men were required. Not an instance is on 
record where God ever chose a man with more than one wife, to do any 
special, important work ; and, as already proved, only a few cases are re- 
corded of men who became polygamists after having been chosen of God. 

26. What, then, is the inevitable conclusion regarding polygamy ? 
"Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have 

sought out many inventions." Eccl. 7 = 29. 




[566] 



"THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME." 





K BcipPir Borne, and gow) to MctHe It. 

HERE were the foundations of home laid? 

"And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put 
the man whom he had formed." Gen. 2 : 8. 

2. In carrying out his perfect plan, what was still needed ? 

"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will 
make him a help meet [or adapted] for him.'''' Gen. 2 : i8. 

3. Is the home complete without children? 

"Lo, children are a heritage of the Lord." Ps. 127:3. "Children's children 
are the crown of old men, and the glory of children are their fathers." Prov. 
17:6. 

4. Does the happiness of home depend upon the abundance of things 

possessed ? 

"A man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." 
Luke 12 : 15. " Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox 
and hatred therewith." Prov, 15:17. 

5. May a home be undesirable under some circumstances ? 

"It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry 
woman.'''' Prov. 21 : 19. 

6. By what means may the mother largely bind home-hearts together? 
" She openeth her mouth with wisdom, and in her tongue is the law of kindness.'''' 

Prov. 31 : 26. 

[567] 



568 



k \\K??^( V\0\J\^, kU\i V\0^ TO VAkVvL n 



7. Is it ever expedient to speak a word of encouragement to the 

pains-taking keeper of home ? 

"Her children arise up and call her blessed ; her husband also, and he praiseth 
her.'''' " Give her of the fruit of her hand, and let her own works praise her 
in the gates." Prov. 31 : 28, 31. 

8. Is mutual obligation enjoined in a well-appointed home? 

" Children, obey your parents in the Lord ; for this is right. Honor thy father 
and mother ; which is the first commandment with promise ; that it may be 
well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, 
provoke not your children to wrath ; but bring them up in the nurture and 
admonition of the Lord." Eph. 6 : 1-4. 



'#•<• 



[APPY the home when God is there, 

And love fills every breast ; 
When one their wish, and one their prayer, 
And one their heavenly rest. 

Happy the home where Jesus' name 

Is sweet to every ear ; 
Where children early lisp his fame, 

And parents hold him dear. 

Happy the home where prayer is heard. 

And praise is wont to rise ; 
Where parents love the sacred word, 

And live but for the skies. 

Lord, let us in our homes agree, 

This blessed home to gain ; 
Unite our hearts in love to thee, 

And love to all will reign. 





^be ^voo families. 



N what scriptures are two families brought to view? 

' ' The field is the world ; the good seed are the children of the kingdom, 
but the tares are the children of the wicked one.'' Matt. 13 : 38. "In this 
the children of God are manifest, and the children of the Devil.'' i John 
3 :iO- 
How are the children of God manifest ? 
' Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin." i John 3:9. "He that hath 
my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; and he that 
loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest 
myself to him." John 14 : 21. 

How may the children of the wicked one be known? 
He that committeth sin is of the Devil." i John 3:8. "Ye are of your Father 
the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do." John 8 : 44. 

Are there counterfeit children of God ? 
'Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof." 2 Tim. 3:5. 
" They profess that they know God, but in works they deny him, being abom- 
inable and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." ^'^ '' 

How may we judge between the true and \\iQ false ? 
'Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. 7 : 20. 

[569] 



Titus I : 16. 



570 1V\L"\^0 ^l\Viy\ULS, 



6. To what family do they belong who are not the children of God ? 

" And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins, . . . and were 
by nature the children of wrath, even as others." Eph. 2 : 1-3. 

7. If one desires to escape from the snare of the enemy, what 

must he do ? 

" Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from 
you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." James 4:7, 8. 

8. How may we know that we are accepted of God, and thus are 

members of the royal family? 

" But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected ; hereby 
knoiv we that we are in him." I John 2:5. "And he that keepeth his 
commandments dwelleth in him and he in him, and hereby zue know that he 
abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us." I John 3 : 24. 

9. How has God manifested his great love to the children of men ? 

" Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should 
be called the sons of God. ' ' I John 3:1. 

[Q. How strong is his desire, and how urgent the invitation that all 
men should share in this wonderful love ? 

"And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. 
And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water 
of life freely." Rev. 22 : 17. 

1. Will the time come when one class will forever pass out of sight? 

"For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently 
consider his place, and it shall not be." Ps. 37 : 10. 

2. What is said of the universal family that remains ? 

"And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, 
and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying. Blessing 
and honor and glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne and 
unto the Lamb forever and ever." Rev. 5 : 13. 





HO suffered Christ to die, and then raised him again? 

"Therefore doth my Father love me because I lay down my life that I 
might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of my- 
self. I have power to lay it down, and I have ,power to take it again. 
This commandment have I received of my Father.^'' John 10:17, 18. 
"Whom [Christ] God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death ; be- 
cause it was not possible that he should be holden of it." Acts 2 124. 

How came death into the world ? 

Wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and so 
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." Rom. 5 : 12. "For 
the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus 
Christ our Lord." Rom. 6 : 23. [57il 



5Y2 LTL^HNV. UVL. 



3. Why could not death hold Christ under its dominion ? 
"Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth." I Peter 2 :22. 

4. What did Christ's resurrection gain for all men ? 

" For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.'" i Cor. 
15:21, 22. 

5. Why did God give his son to die ? and who alone are benefited by 

his death ? 

^^Yox God so loved the wo7'-ld \.h.Q.t he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever 
believeth in hi?n should not perish, but have everlasting life." "He that 
believeth not the Son shall not see [everlasting] life, but the wrath of God 
abideth on him." John 3 : r6, 36. 

6. With whom is this eternal life of the believer now hid ? 

"For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.'''' Col. 3 : 3. "And 
this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his 
Son." I John 5:11, 12. 

7. When will this eternal life be put on? 

"Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be 
changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump. For the 
trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall 
be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal 
must put on immortality." I Cor. 15 : 51-53. 

8. Is there any exemption from the first, or temporal, death ? 

" For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." I Cor. 15 : 22. 

9. Who have part in the first resurrection ? 

" And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for 
the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, . . . and they lived 
and reigned with Christ a thousand years. . . . This is the first resurrection. 
. . . On such the second death hath no power." Rev. 20 : 4-6. 

10. Who have part in the second resurrection ? 

"But the rest of the dead [the wicked] lived not again until the thousand years 
were finished. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured 
them. " Rev. 20 : 5, 9 ; Dan. 12:2; Heb. 11 : 35. 

11. What is the second, or eternal, death? and who suffer it? 

"And death and hell [margin, the grave'] were cast into the lake of fire. This is 
the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life 
was cast into the lake of fire." Rev. 20 : 14, 15. " The lake which burneth 
with fire and brimstone ... is the second death." Rev. 21 : 8. "Fie that 
overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death." Rev. 2 : 11. See Eze. 
18:26. 



L^^RHKV. UV^. 



5Y3 



What is then said of those who share the first resurrection, and so 
escape the second death ? 

And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more 
death '; neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain ; for 
the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, 
Behold, I make all things new." Rev. 21 14, 5. 



•>^^'<- 



WHAT a mighty change 
Shall Jesus' followers know. 

When o'er the happy plains they range, 
Incapable of woe ! 

There all our griefs are passed ; 

There all our sorrows end ; 
We gain a peaceful rest at last, 

With Jesus Christ, our Friend. 

No slightest touch of pain. 

Nor sorrow's least alloy, 
Can violate our rest, or stain 

Our purity of joy. 



In that eternal day. 

No clouds nor tempests rise ; 
There gushing tears are wiped away 

Forever from our eyes. 





[574] "If Any IVIan Have not the Spirit of Christ, 

He Is None of His." 





Pei^feetion of QharactGr, 

Y nature, what is the condition of all men ? 

'■'■Y ox all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. 
Read also verses 10-12. 



Rom. 3 : 23. 



2. How may one's nature be changed ? 

"Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature ; old things are passed 
away ; behold, all things are become new." 2 Cor. 5:17. 

3. What is it to be in Christ ? 

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who 
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.'''' Rom. 8:1. 

4. What are the works of the flesh ? 

" Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these : Adultery, fornication, 
uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, 
wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, 
and such like." Gal. 5 : 19-21. 

5. And what is the fruit of the Spirit ? 

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, 
faith, meekness, temperance." Verses 22, 23. 

6. When led by the Spirit, what does one become? 

"For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.'''' Rom. 
8 : 14. 

7. After becoming the sons of God, for what may we look ? 

" Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall 
be ; but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we 
shall see him as he is." I John 3 : 2. 

8. If one has this hope, what will he surely do ? 

"And every man that hath this hope in h.\u\ purifeth himself even as he [Christ] 
is pure.'''' Verse 3. 

9. Is the doctrine of perfection taught in the Bible ? 

"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may h^ perfect and entire, want- 
ing [lacking] nothing.'''' James I :4. 

[5751 



576 ?LP.VLC'^\OU OV CHKRKCTL^. 

10. Is one perfected when he receives the principles of Christ? 

"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto per- 
fection.^'' Heb. 6:1. 

11. In order to accomplish this, what must be done? 

'■'■ But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." 
2 Peter 3:18. 

12. How may one grow in grace ? 

"And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue ; and to virtue, 
knowledge ; and to knowledge, temperance ; and to temperance, patience ; 
and to patience, godliness ; and to godliness, brotherly kindness ; and to 
brotherly kindness, charity." 2 Peter 1:5-8. To grow in grace is to add 
the Christian graces to the faith one receives when Ae accepts Christ. 

13. In requiring so much of his followers, what is the design of Christ? 

"That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or 
wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be holy and without blemish.'''' 
Eph. 5 : 27. 

14. What will cause the Christian to grow? 

" As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.'''' 
I Peter 2 : 2. 

15. In order to grow by the word of God, what must one do with it? 

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart.'''' Ps. 119 : 11. That is, the word of God 
must be shut in the heart, or kept there. 

16. And what must that word become to the heart? 

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them : and thy word was unto me the joy 
and rejoicing of mine heart ; for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of 
hosts." Jer. 15 : 16. 

17. In building up the character, what else is necessary? 

"But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the 
Holy Ghost.- ^ Jude 20. 

18. What advantage will prayer be to one engaged in such a work? 

'■'■ If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, 
and upbraideth not ; and it shall be given him.'''' James i : 5. 

19. On what occasions is it proper to ask God for help ? 

" Be careful for nothing ; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanks- 
giving let your requests be made known unto God.''"' Phil. 4 : 6. 

20. If we fulfill the conditions of the Bible, how perfect may we expect 

God's care for us to be ? 

"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; and I pray God your ivhole 
spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord 
Jesus Christ." I Thess. 5 : 23. 







i^mm 



J ^^^H^SS EEKS^^E^ [R 






palse Sbepbei^ds. 




H^OW may we distinguish between the true and the false ? 

"For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and ^/ley should seek the 
law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But ye are 
departed out of the way : ye have caused many to stumble at the law.'''' Mai. 
2 : 7, 8. "7"^ the law and to the testimony ; if they speak not according to 
this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8 : 20. 

:2. What does the Lord call these false shepherds? 

"Let them alone, they be blind leaders of the blind." Matt. 15 : 14. 

.3. Will many follow them ? 

"And many shall follow their pernicious ways, by reason of whom the way of truth 
shall be evil spoken of." 2 Peter 2 : 2. 

4. Do they warn the flock of coming danger ? 

" His watchmen are blind, they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they can- 
not bark, sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber." Isa. 56: 10. "For 
when they shall say, Peace and safety ; then sudden destruction cometh upon 
them." I Thess. 5 : 3. 

5. Will a " call " elsewhere often cause them to abandon their own fold 

and flock ? 

" Yea, they are greedy dogs, which can never have enough, and they are shepherds 
that cannot understand : they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, 
x/om his quarter. " Isa. 56: 11. 

6. Are these false shepherds able to interpret the meaning of the 

prophecies relating to " the time of the end " (Dan. 12 : 4) ? 

'"And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, 
which men deliver to 07te that is learned, saying. Read this, I pray thee : and 
he saith, I cannot ; for it is sealed.^'' Isa. 29 : 1 1. 

37 [5771 



578 ^\^V.L RLND\HGS. 



7. Will these prophecies ever be understood? 

" And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the 
blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness." Isa. 29 : 18. 

8. Was there to come a time when people would not listen to Bible 

truths ? 

" For the titne will come zohen they will not endure sound doctrine ; but after their 
own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, and 
they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." 
2 Tim. 4 : 3> 4- 

9. What will they say ? 

" Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto its smooth things, prophesy deceits." 
Isa. 30 : 10. 

10. Is such worship acceptable to the Lord? 

"Howbeit in vain do they worship vie, teaching for doctrines the commandments 
of men." Mark 7:7; Matt. 15 : 9. 

11. Can they expect the Lord to hear and answer their prayers ? 

" He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be 
abomination." Prov. 28 : 9. 

12. What is said of those who know the way, yet do not walk therein? 

" For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, 
after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto 
them." 2 Peter 2:21. 

13. What does the Lord say concerning false shepherds? 

" My people hath been lost sheep : their shepherds have caused them to go astray ;. 
they have turned them away on the mountains ; they have gone from mountain 
to hill ; they have forgotten their resting place." Jer. 50 : 6. " Son of man, 
prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus 
saith the Lord God unto the shepherds : Woe be to the; shepherds of Israel that 
do feed themselves ! Should not the shepherds feed the flocks ? Ye eat the fat, 
and ye clothe you with the wool ; ye kill them that are fed, but ye feed not 
the flock." Eze. 34 : 2, 3. " As I live, saith the Lord God, surely because 
my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, 
because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, 
but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock, therefore, O ye shep- 
herds, hear the word of the Lord : Thus saith the Lord God : Behold, I am 
against the shepherds ; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them 
to cease from feeding the flock ; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves, 
any more, for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be 
meat for them. For thus saith the Lord God : Behold, I, even I, will both 
search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in 
the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered, so will I seek out my 
sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they had been scattered 
in the cloudy and dark day." Eze. 34 : 8-12. 



V[\V.SL SHL?HLR\)S. 579 



14. What is to be the future of those who " add unto " or '^ take 
away from " the words of prophecy ? " 

• "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this 
book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the 
plagues that are written in this book : and if any man shall take away from 
the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of 
the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are writ- 
ten in this book." Rev. 22:18, 19. "Howl, ye shepherds, and cry: and 
wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock ; for the days of your 
slaughter and of your dispersion are accomplished ; and ye shall fall like a 
pleasant vessel, and the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal 
of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a howling of 
the principal of the flock, shall be heard ; for the Lord hath spoiled their 
pasture, and the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce an- 
ger of the Lord." Jer. 25 : 34-37. 



,^^ 



SK for the Guide Book, the Bible from heaven ; 
For our salvation its pages were given ; 
If of a truth you are seeking the way. 
Ask for the Guide Book, believe, and obey. 

Heed not the voices that bid you remain, 
Heed not the false guides who seek only gain ; 
Ask for the Guide Book, — its teachings are true,- 
Heeding it daily will carry you through. 

Thousands are traveling in death's downward way 
Few walk the path that is narrow to-day : 
One ends in darkness, and one ends in light, — 
One is the wrong way, and one is the right. 

Though you may teach that the Saviour has died. 
Claim to be just and appear sanctified, — 
Still, if the lav/ of the Lord you deny, 
"Vain your profession," the Lord will reply. 



■^^i^il"^!^' — 




Pi^omises to the 0Dereomei^. 

ilsj^HAT general promise is given to the overcomer ? 

Ilk "He that overcometh shall inherit all things ; and I will be his God, and 
^J he shall be my son." Rev. 21:7. 

2. What is it to overcome ? 

To vanquish, to conquer, to be victorious. — Webstei'. 

3. What must be overcome to realize the promises to the overcomer? 

"Be not overcome of evil, but overco?ne evil.'''' Rom. 12 :2i. "For whatsoever 
is born of God overcometh the world.'''' I John 5 : 4. 

4. What is meant by overcoming the world ? 

"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin." l John 3 : 9. 

5. What, then, must we exercise in order to claim the promise of 

inheriting all things ? 

" But godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, 
and of that which is to come." I Tim. 4 : 8. 

6. Who alone can overcome ? 

"Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son 
of God ? " I John 5:5. 

7. By what means are we enabled to overcome ? 

"This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.'''' I John 5 : 4. 
"And they overcame him [Satan, the originator and disseminator of sin. 
Verse 9] by the blood of the Lamb, and by the ruord of their testimony.'''' 
Rev. 12 : II. 
[580] 



?ROU\SLS 10 ^V\L OMLRCOV^^R. 581 



8. Who gives us strength to overcome ? and through whom is it be 

stowed ? 

" But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

1 Cor. 15 :57. "In all these things we are more than conquerors through 
him that loved us." Rom. 8 :37. 

9. What is one important purpose of the promises given in the 

Bible ? 

"Whereby [t. e., "through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord." 
Verse 2] are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises ; that by 
these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corrup- 
tion that is in the world through lust." 2 Peter i : 4. 

10. What is one of the greatest promises given to the overcomer ? 

"And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.^'' i John 

2 125. 

11. Name some of the precious things promised to the overcomer. 

(I.) He shall eat of the tree of life. Rev. 2 : 7. 

(2.) He "shall not be hurt of the second death." Verse 11. 

(3.) He shall eat of the hidden manna, and receive a white stone, and "in the 

stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it." 

Verse 17. 
(4.) He shall have power over the nations. Verse 26. 
(5.) He shall be clothed in white raiment ; and his name shall not be blotted out 

of the book of life, but shall be confessed before the Father and the angels. 

Rev. 3 : 5. 
(6.) He shall be a pillar in the temple of God forever, and Christ will write upon 

him God's name, and the name of the New Jerusalem, and his own new name. 

Verse 12. 
(7.) He shall sit with Christ on his throne. Verse 21. 
(8.) He "shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them 

that love him." James i : 12. 

12. Have any of those who in the past have sought to receive the 

promises, as yet come into their possession ? 
"And these all [those enumerated in Heb. 11], having obtained a good report 
through faith, received not the promise." Heb. 11 : 39. 

13. When will these precious promises be realized ? 

"Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might 
receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, 
and will not tarry." Heb. 10 136, 37. 

14. What manner of persons ought we to be, as we see the time 

approaching when the promises are to be realized ? 
" Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may 
be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless." 2 Peter 3 : 14. 




[582] 



Blessing, and Glory, and Wisdom, and Thant<sgiving, and Honor, and Kower. and Migiit, 
Be unto Our God Forever and Ever." 



?HOH\SLS ^0 1V\^ OMLRGO^LH. 583 



15. What will be the condition of those who realize the promises ? 

*' God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more 
death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain ; 
for the former things are passed away." Rev. 21:4. " After this I beheld, 
and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and 
kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne and before the 
Lamb, clothed with white robes." "And all the angels stood round about 
the throne, . . . saying, Amen : Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and 
thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God forever and 
ever. Amen." Rev. 7 : 9, ii, 12. 



'^iTQIL on a little longer here, 
^ For thy reward awaits above, 
Nor droop in sadness or in fear 

Beneath the rod that's sent in love ; 
The deeper wound our spirits feel, 
The sweeter heaven's balm to heal. 

Faith lifts the vail before our eyes, 
And bids us view a happier clime, 

Where verdant fields in beauty rise, 
Beyond the withering blasts of time ; 

And brings the blissful moment near, 

When we in glory shall appear. 

Then let us hope ; 'tis not in vain ; 

Though moistened by our grief the soil. 
The harvest brings us joy for pain, 

The rest repays the weary toil ; 
For they shall reap, who sow in tears, 
Rich gladness through eternal years. 




[584] 



THE GAME OF LIFE 



A PICTORIAL ALLEOORY 



IN THREE PARTS. 



The GANlBv IN PROORESS, 

The OANiE Los^r, 

The Ganie won, 



co?-<\<\G>HAtQ \aaa, ?in Kt\i\t\N kho Ht'apvVQ. 



T"be game of YiifG. 

THE GAME IN PROGRESS. 

lATAN, the Prince of Darkness, is playing with man for his 
soul. The scene chosen is a wide vault, whose arch is em- 
bellished by two lizard-shaped monsters, with short, misshapen 
claws, which adhere closely to the two pillars, down which they 
seem to creep. The upper surface of a sarcophagus is trans- 
formed into a chess-board, and man sits at this table. His head is 
resting on his hand, and his countenance is full of careful thought. 

Opposite to him is Satan, seated in a large chair, one of whose 
arms is an open-mouthed lion, while lower down, the claw of the 
lion grasping a human skull intimates his death-dealing power. A 
wide cloak is thrown around Satan, from under which only his 
bony, claw-like hands appear, and his hair and beard bristle 
wildly. In his cap is the long crooked cock's feather, which an- 
cient tradition has uniformly regarded as suspicious. As becomes 
his fallen state, the expression on his countenance is shrewd, hate- 
ful, and devilish. He who was a liar from the beginning, he who 
plays falsely, he who breaks with all confederates, is undeniably be- 
fore us, with all the treachery of a tiger, and all the cruelty of 
a hyena. The hand on his chin may either conceal a demoniacal 
smile at the prize about to be seized, or repress a horrid im- 
precation, that deliverance may still be possible. 

In the background stands a lovely angel-form, with out-spread 
wings, — the protectifig spirit of this human being, but not seen by 
him. To thrust him away is beyond Satan's power ; the human 
being alone can renounce or reject him. But, on the other hand, 
the angel himself, like conscience, can only gently suggest, not 
directly counsel nor absolutely control, conduct. 

The form of the king on Satan's side represents himself, muf- 
fled in his cloak, but still to be recognized at the first glance. 
His forces are pressing eagerly forward. His queen, the foremost 
female figure, represents Pleasure. The officers are six vices : In- 
dolence, Anger, Pride, Falsehood, Avarice, Unbelief. The pawns 
(small, harp-shaped creatures) represent Doubts. 

On the side of man, his own soul acts the part of the king. 
The queen represents Religion. The officers are Hope, Truth, 
Peace, Humility, Innocence, and Love. The pawns are repre- 

[589I 



^VA^e GK^^ OV UVL. 591- 



sented by the small figures, and signify Prayer ; for as an officer 
who has been lost may be recovered, in chess, by a pawn, so may 
a spiritual loss often be recovered by prayer. 

The game stands ill for the human being. Prayer has been 
neglected, as seen by the figures which Satan has taken ; Love and 
Innocence are lost ; Humility is gone ; and Peace, just seized, is 
still held in Satan's grasping fingers. Pleasure, Unbelief, and 
Doubts are pressing tumultuously forward against Religion, who 
stands there tranquil and sublime, protecting man, who is thus at- 
tacked in so many ways, but who, so long as he does not give up 
Religion, may yet hope for escape. Man himself has only van- 
quished Anger, and overcome a single Doubt. Satan, having just 
taken away peace of mind from man, is gazing upon him with a 
malignant expression of anticipated triumph, while man seems to 
be anxiously debating what shall be his next move, and the guard- 
ian angel looks on with an expression of pity and campassion. 

THE GAME LOST. 

This represents the triumph of Satan, the despair of man, and 
the mournful disappointment of the guardian angel. The cover of 
the sarcophagus having been removed. Death rises amid smoke 
and flames, and strikes man with his dart. All is confusion. 

THE GAME WON. 

This represents man in an attitude of religious devotion, the 
angel pointing upward with a look of encouragement and approval. 
Cherubs, preparing wreaths, occupy the places of the monsters 
upon the walls ; while the cross, the open Bible, and the roses 
show that death and the grave are no longer subjects of fear. 
Satan has disappeared, and the robe and empty chair alone re- 
main to show his discomfiture. The lion, foiled, has ,a look of 
baffled rage. 

These designs must be numbered among the happiest creations 
of genius and art. The mind that willingly turns its thoughts 
upon what is most serious in life, cannot easily remain unmoved 
by the deep meaning of the ideas here represented ; while many 
a presumptuous spirit, beholding Peace already in Satan's hands, 
Innocence gone, Doubts urgent. Prayer neglected, and the assured 
prospect that the game itself must be lost if Religion be sac- 
rificed, may yet cast a searching look upon what is passing within 
himself, and, by summoning divine aid, come off conqueror. 



THE FALL OF MAN. 



BEELZEBUB'S ADDRESS TO THE FALLEN ANGELS. 



"There is a place 
(If ancient and prophetic fame in heaven 
Err not), another world, the happy seat 
Of some new race called Man, about this time 
To be created like to us, though less 
In power and excellence, but favored more 
Of Him who rules above ; so was his will 
Pronounced among the gods, and by an oath, 
That shook heaven's whole circumference, confirmed. 
Thither let us bend all our thoughts, to learn 
What creatures there inhabit, of what mold 
Or substance, how endued, and what their power, 
And where their weakness, how attempted best. 
By force or subtlety. Though heaven be shut, 
And heaven's high Arbitrator sit secure 
In his own strength, this place may lie exposed, 
The utmost border of his kingdom, left 
To their defense who hold it : here, perhaps. 
Some advantageous act may be achieved 
By sudden onset, either with hell-fire 
To waste his whole creation, or possess 
All as our own, and drive, as we were driven, 
The puny habitants ; or, if not drive. 
Seduce them to our party, that their God 
May prove their foe, and with repenting hand, 
Abolish his own works. This would surpass 
Common revenge, and interrupt his joy 
In our confusion, and our joy upraise 
In his disturbance ; when his darling sons, 
Hurled headlong to partake with us, shall curse 
Their frail original and faded bliss. 
Faded so soon. Advise, if this be worth 
Attempting, or to sit in darkness here 
Hatching vain empires." Thus Beelzebub 
Pleaded his devilish counsel, first devised 
By Satan, and in part proposed ; for whence, 
But from the author of all ill, could spring 
So deep a malice to confound the race 
Of mankind in one root, and earth with hell 
To mingle and involve, done all to spite 
The great Creator ? But their spite still serves 
His glory to augment. The bold design 
Pleased highly those infernal states, and joy 
Sparkled in all their eyes ; with full assent 
They vote. — Paradise Lost, 



38 [593 





Index of authorities 



Kefekue!) to in This Work 



MM 





A Century of Christian Missions, Rev. 

James Johnson, F. S. S 46 

Adams, Dr 3c) 

Advent Tracts, Mourant Brock 100 

Ahson 392 

Ancient Christianity Exemplified, 

Coleman 402 

Ancient Geography, Mitchell 420 

Appleton 427 

A Sure Way to Find out the True 

Religion 32 

Atkins, Robert 105 

Augsburg Confession 61 

Beecher, Rev. Lyman 305 

Bible Dictionaries- — 

American Tract Society 377, 553 

Comprehensive, Smith 96 

Smith and Barnum 377 

Bible Doctrine, Wm. Kinkaid 106 

Bock, Dr 304 

Boston Index 237 

Boston Herald — 

Carleton 394 

Bostwick, Milo 67 

Bright 427 

BritisJi Aledical Journal — 

Roberts, Dr 303 

Calvin 387 

Catechisms 32 

Abridgment of Christian Doc- 
trine 63, 241 

Catholic Christian Instructed. . . . 
32, 104, 130, 241 

Doctrinal 49, 63, 241, 403 

Explanation of Protest. Episcopal 

Church Catechism 241 

M. E. Theological Compendium 241 

Champlain Journal 237 

Chicago Republican 224 

Christian Advocate and Journal ... 41 

Christian Coniino7iwealth 105 

Christian Nation — 

Mc Connel, Rev. W. T 249 

[594] 



PAGE. 

Christiatt Statesman 236 

Gault, M. A . 249 

Mc Allister 238 

Pentecost, Rev. Geo. F 105 

Christian Union 37 

Abbott, Lyman 241 

Clark, Dr. Andrew 306 

Clifton Tracts 130 

Commentaries — 

Alford, Dean 15, 55, 345 

Bagster 28, 30 

Barnes 27, 28, 29, 31, 421 

Baxter 387 

Bush, Prof. Geo., 32, 50, 103, 155, 158 
Clarke, Dr. Adam, 27, 28, 31, 44, 
97, 121, 127, 128, 155, 194,211, 

285, 288, 289, 377, 394, 408, 491 

Cottage Bible 27, 28, 29, 121 

Comprehensive 414 

Croly on the Apocalypse 227 

Eusebius on the Psalms 402 

Gill 95, 414 

Henry, Matthew 43, 194, 195 

Horneius, in Jamieson, Fausset, 

and Brown 544 

Home's Introduction 400 

Lange 50, 474 

Mc Garvey on Acts 55 

Scott, Thomas, D. D 

23, 27, 28, 191, 194, 438, 544 

Thoughts on Daniel and the 

Revelation, U. Smith 

20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 

28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 245, 422, 423 

Connecticut Jounml. 39 

Constantine's Sunday Edict 61 

Crellius, John 162 

Crockett, Hon. Robert H 237, 238 

Cruden's Concordance 416 

Cyclopedias — 

Americana 61 

Biblical Literature, Kitto 377 

Biblical, M'Clintock and Strong, 

290, 492 

Britannica 61, 64, 309, 402, 409 

Chambers 33, 34 



\H^^X OV NU'^HORn\LS. 



595 



Cyclopedias — Continued — 

Library of Universal Knowledge 424 
Universal, Johnson 63 

Decretal De Translat. Episcop. Cap. 60 
Dictionary of Christian Biography, 

Smith 421 

Dissertation on the Lord's Day Sab- 
bath, Wm. Prynne 55, 63, 402 

Encyclical of Pope Leo XIII 236 

Examination of the Six Texts, Sir 
Wm. Domville 241 



Farrar, Archdeacon. 



306 



Gavazzi's Lectures 30 

Geography of the Heavens, Burritt 

39. 41 

Great Controversy, Mrs. E. G. White 242 

Health Science Leaflets, J. H. Kel- 
logg, M. D 303 

Heavens and the Earth, Edward 

Dunkin, F. R. A. S 41 

Herschel 67 

Hewett, Wm 307 

Hints, Stuart 33, 182 

Histories — 

Ancient, Rollin 28 

Ancient Egypt, Rawlinson 20 

Centennial History of the United 

States 229 

Church, Jones 402 

Church, Scott 31 

Decline and Fall of the Roman 

Empire, Gibbon, 

22, 23, 420, 421, 422, 423, 424, 425 
Ecclesiastical, Mosheim, 231, 232, 408 

Ecclesiastical, Sabine 420 

Fox's Book of Martyrs. . .31, 227, 415 

Gilfillan on the Sabbath 319 

General History of the Baptist 

Denomination, Benedict 402 

Historia Ecclesiastica 233, 402 

Historical Collections (Conn.), 

Pres. Dwight 39, 67, 409 

Historical View of the Council 

of Nice, Boyle 232, 233, 402 

History of Beverly, Mass., Stone 39 
History and Doctrine of the Sect 

of the Cathares, or Albigenses, 

C. Schmidt 378 

History of Florence, Machiavelli 23 
History of Romanism, Dowling. . . 31 
History of the Christian Religion 

and Church, Neander 

232, 233, 234, 241, 250 

History of the Christians, N. 

Summerbell 61 



Histories — Continued — 

History of the Popes, Bower 401 

History of the Reformation in the 

Time of Calvin 378 

History of the Sabbath, J. X. 

Andrews 233 

Marvel of Nations, U. Smith 225 

Our First Century 409 

Pictorial History of the World. ... 33 
Seven Great Monarchies, Raw- 
linson 19 

Student's Gibbon 29 

Wars of the Huguenots 31, 227 

Hopkins 104 

Illustrated Christian Weekly 224 



Jesu Profetier, J. G. Matteson. .246, 247 

Jewish Antiquities, Josephus 363 

yournal of Commerce — 

Ward, Henry Dana 409 

Kampf, Dr. F 320 

Knox, John 387 



Larabee 

Latimer 

Law and Gospel, James White, 273, 

Lexicons — 

Gesenius 95, 

Greenfield . . . ; 56, 141, 

Parkhurst 

Whiting 

Liberal Christian 

Life of Luther 

Life of Paul, Coneybeare and How- 
son 55, 265, 266, 

Limborch 

Litch, Josiah. .- 

London Christian 

London Spectator 68, 69, 

Lord's Day 

Lost Time, J. H. Waggoner 

Luther, Martin 237, 

Martyrology, Charlotte Elizabeth. . . 

McAllister 239 

Melancthon 387 

Memoirs and Sermons of Whitefield 43 

Miscellanies of Clement 401 

Napoleon 395 

News Letter, Belfast, Ireland 105 

Newton, Bishop Thomas 394 

Newton on the Prophecies 23 

New World Compared with the Old, 

G. A. Townsend 229, 237 

New York City Nation 3*^7 

Nicholas, Pope 61 

NortJnvestern Christian Advocate. . . 249 

Eddy, William 291 



307 
387 
275 

205 
197 
211 

95 

104 

403 

290 
32 
425 
307 
224 
241 
320 
386 

31 



596 



\^\^^\ OV NV^IHORS OV V\^VJ\US. 



Olnistead, Prof 67 

Peter the Great 395 

Phrenological Journal . . . 69, 224, 225 
Plain Talk about the Protestantism 

of To-day 32, 250 

Pliny 423 

Popular Amusements, H. Mattison, 

D. D 105 

Potter, Rev. Elam 67 

Practical Occultism, J. J. Morse. ... 215 

Prideaux's Connection 96 

Priestly, Dr 162 

Ravlin, N. F 215 

Richardson, B. W., ]M. D 302, 306 

Ridley 387 

Robinson, Pastor John 386 

Sacred Theory of the Earth, Burnet 68 

Sanctuary and 2300 Days, U. Smith 87 

Scientific American 69 

Scientific or Perpetual Calendar, Hill 321 
Social Purity, J. H. Kellogg, M. D. 

370, 371 

Spurgeon 69, 106 

S. S. Teachers' Helps to the Study 

of the Bible 98 



Switzer, Col. 306 

Talmage, Rev. T. De Witt. . 46, 69, 370 

Taylor, Bishop 323 

The Christian — 

Robinson, S. C 320, 321 

Theological Dictionary, Buck .... 

31, 213, 227 

Time of the End, Dr. Cumming. . . 106 

Tracts on Popery, Geddes 32 

Triumphus, Augustinus 30 

Tulare (Cal.) Times 237 

Union Hand-Book 224 

Vatican Council 31 

View of the Court of Inquisition in 

Portugal 32 

Voice of the Church, D. T. Taylor 100 

Waggoner, J. H 320 

Waggoner, E. J 490 

Washington, Geo 237 

Watchman 241 

Wesley, John 229 

Whewell 487 

Williams, Roger 237 

Wise, Isaac M 320 

Work-a-Day World 307 



^y(®AV 



%- 



AUTHORS OF HYMNS. 




Auber, Harriet 271 

Barbauld, Anna .■ 499 

Barton, Bernard 11, 374 

Bathurst, W. H 287 

Beddome, Benjamin 275 

Bellamy, W. H 549 

Bickersteth, E. H 159 

Bliss, P. P 281 

Bonar, Horatius 146, 417 

Bonar, Mrs. Horatius 540 

Bryant, W. C 447 

Collyer, W. B 222 

Cottrell, R. F 198 

Cowper, William 405, 460 

Deck, James G 209 

Doddridge, Philip. . . .387, 435, 438, 450 

Dyer, Sidney 555 

Elliott, Charlotte 262 

Faber, F. W 468 

Hastings, H. L 175 

Heber, Reginald 42 

Luther, Martin 532 

Lyte, Henry F 486 

Mackay, Margaret 144 



Medley, Samuel 441 

Montgomery, James 328 

Milton, John 593 

Newton, John 342, 531 

Ogden, W. A 353 

Palmer, Mrs. Phoebe 427 

Palmer, Ray 343 

Perronet, Edward 455 

Rippon, John 285 

Sigourney, Lydia H 502 

Smith, Annie R 51, 583 

Steele, Anne 239 

Tappan, W. B 153 

Taylor, Jane 171 

Thorp, J. S 48 

Toplady, Augustus M 115, 381, 545 

Turner, H. L 411 

Watts, Isaac 81, 87, 91, 

138, 167, 190, 197, 257, 390, 458, 513 
Wesley, Charles 

16, 79, 333, 464, 509, 522, 573 

Wordsworth, Christopher 123 

Worthington, Mrs. Jane F 349 

Wreford, John 345 



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the angels, the law of God, the Sabbath, the judgment, second coming of Christ, millen 
nium, New Jerusalem, destruction of the wicked, new earth, reward of the righteous, and 
numerous readings on the prophecies of both the Old and New Testaments. Sold by 
subscription. 

The same readings, solid type, on thin paper, without illustrations, bound in brown 
cloth, plain edges, $1.00. 

HISTORY OF THE WALDENSES. By J. A. Wylie. 212 pages, on tinted paper, illustrated. 
Muslin, 90 cents. 

A plain and well-written narrative concerning this remarkable people from their earliest 
history to the present time. The faith, persecutions, martyrdom, and wholesale massa- 
cres of the Waldenses ; their schools, missions, and itinerant work; their mountain fast- 
nesses; the fierce wars waged against them; their exile, and re-establishment in the 
valley, are all set forth with historical accuracy. A book which should have a wide 
circulation. 

SACRED CHRONOLOGY. 298 pages, cloth, $1.00. 

A new and revised edition of a little work published by S. Bliss about forty years ago, 
giving the chronology from creation till the death of the apostle John. Also, ''The Peo- 
pling of the Earth; or. Historical Notes on the Tenth Chapter of Genesis." By Alonzo 
T. Jones. A valuable reference book. 

HISTORY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE SOUL among all races and peoples, ancient and 
modern, including theologians, philosophers, scientists, and untutored aborigines, care 
fully brought down to the present time. 186 pages, 75 cents. 

ABIDING SABBATH AND LORD'S DAY. By Alonzo T. Jones. 173 pages, 20 cents. 

A pointed review of the $500 and $1,000 prize essays in support of the Christian Sabbath, 
so called. Those desiring some $1,000 reasons for keeping the first day of the week, will 
find them here. 

NATIONAL REFORM TRACTS. 13 tracts, 184 pages in all, 20 cents. Single tracts, 1 cent for 
every 8 pages. 

These tracts treat upon the various phases of the National Reform movement, under 
the following titles : Eeligious Legislation, 8 pages ; Religious Liberty, 8 pages ; National 
Reform and the Rights of Conscience, 16 pages; The American Papacy, 16 pages; Bold 
and Base Avowal, 16 pages ; National Reform is Church and State, 16 pages ; Purity of 
National Religion, 8 pages ; The Salem Witchcraft, 8 pages ; What Think Ye of Christ ? 8 
pages ; National Reformed Constitution and the American Hierarchy, 24 pages ; The Re- 
public of Israel, 8 pages; National Reformed Presbyterianism, 32 pages; The National 
Reform Movement an Absurdity, 16 pages. 

Those desiring a copy of, or an agency for, any of the foregoing works, should address 
the Review and Herald, Battle Creek, Mich. Complete catalogue of publications in 
English, German, Danish, Swedish, French, and Holland, sent free on application. ^ u 



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